Hermione's Story
by Natasha Vloyski
Summary: A little love story, a lot of mystery, all combined together.
1. Chapter 1

Hermione Granger walked up the garden path pushing her cart ahead of her. It was loaded with fresh cut flowers and vegetables from her patch. She moved slowly because of the arthritis in her knees. She wore a bright straw bonnet with flowers tucked into it and was dressed in a long but light summer dress. Her body, now quite shrunken and thin, was still wiry and agile. She pushed hard to get the cart over the tree roots and over the rocky path. She was working diligently to prepare for her company.

She had known for fifty years that she would have visitors on this day. She had had time to rehearse the words she wished to say and to try and relay a very important message to the two people who were going to join her. Her visitors were none of her six children or any of her fourteen grandchildren. No, she knew exactly who was going to step through her garden gate at half past three.

She stopped on the path and drew in a breath. The sun was very warm and the smells of the summer day drew her thoughts to another time. She stopped and stared off across a meadow thinking about another summer day many years before. Then shaking herself free of the memory she gave the old wooden cart another shove and rolled into the shade of an immense oak tree that spanned the entire front garden in front of a rather quaint old-fashioned cottage.

She looked at it and admired the shining windows that she had spent a day cleaning and the little path, where she had been on her swollen knees pulling weeds, and she felt satisfied. She had almost entirely forgotten what it was like to live in the muggle world where everyone had a lawn mower or a hedge trimmer. She either did the work by hand or more often using her wand which was always tucked into a special pocket in her apron.

She felt its familiar thud against her thigh and nodded to herself as if she were having a personal conversation. 'Yes, yes,' she seemed to say and then actually stopped and talked to the dog that was walking lazily at her side. It was an old dog but her constant and sole companion. "We have to be getting a move on Hagrid. They will be arriving this afternoon and I want to be prepared. This is so important don't you know."

The dog managed to raise his graying muzzle and accept the gentle pat she gave. The old dog wagged its tail and then wandered on up the path towards a tree swing where it threw itself unceremoniously to the ground in the shade to pant a little, snort and then sleep.

Hermione eyed the little table and the chairs she had placed in the shade and studied the arrangement of the dishes and the tablecloth. She began to pull flowers from the little cart and started arranging them in the crystal vase she had placed in the center of that table. Although she knew she could do it with her wand, she was forever doing things the 'muggle way'. And she enjoyed it, telling her, now fully grown, children that there were things worth doing the muggle way. It was very satisfying sometimes, she would say

Her visitors were no ordinary visitors. She knew that she risked a great deal if anything went wrong. That's why she had been preparing for over a half century. She knew that if she proceeded it would change her life. And although she loved her life and her children and grandchildren she knew that she owed a debt that had not been repaid. This risk she took would repay that debt, and then some. It was, however, not the only reason for doing what she was about to do.

She caught herself fingering the petalsof a bright pink rose and hurriedly slipped it into the bouquet that she then placed on the table. "No use going over this again," she said aloud, chiding herself. "They are coming regardless and I can either be stupid as a goat or make a difference. Since I don't have a choice, then I shall not play the part of the goat." The dog raised its head, looked at her bleary-eyed and then plopped it down into the moist cool grass again.

She spoke to no one in particular, not the sleeping dog or the tree under which he lay. The cottage was surrounded by green rolling hills and a small copse of trees and nothing more. She had lived in this house since she was eighteen and the view had never changed. She liked it that way. It felt good to not have sudden and abrupt changes in one's life, se considered.

She pushed the cart away from the garden and around the house to an old shed. She placed it neatly in its' space, closed the door and glanced at the position of the sun. She knew she would have time to bath and change her clothes and pull her long graying hair up before they arrived.

She was almost sure they would arrive since she knew with almost certainty that nothing had changed. She and her friend Harry Potter had apparated to Godric's Hollow on July 31st, fifty years before. They had walked the lane towards the cottage that sat in the small hollow between two hills and had met a very neatly dressed older woman sitting in her garden waiting for them. She had very sweetly introduced herself as Hermione Granger.

And so Hermione had been one of the visitors and Harry had been the other and she had only known that period of time from the point of view of an eighteen year old girl meeting her sixty seven year-old self. Now as the sixty-seven year old woman who would be sitting in that very garden fifty years later she would be greeting her eighteen year-old self. This time she knew that she would have much more to say then she had fifty years before. This time she would be giving them information that was going to make a difference. She clenched her fist and lightly hit the top of the garden gate. "Yes, indeed!"

The older and wiser Hermione had given the course of events tremendous thought. She had used a time turner back then, and instead of retreating into the past, she and Harry had gone into the future. There had been a terrible need then and even with all of the warnings flying through her head at the time she had agreed to his demands and they had used it. Now, having lived through those fifty years Hermione knew that she must change the course of those events by doing something different then she had on her first meeting. And she had purposefully stopped herself from thinking about how time had become a circle, where she had initially met herself as at eighteen and now at sixty-seven would meet her younger self again.

"That leads to madness," she said to the gate as she opened it and headed for the cool shade of the house and her very neat upstairs bedroom. It was time to bath and change.

_It is very much like preparing to die_, she thought. _If I tell them what they need to know I may not be alive afterward. I may not survive and therefore may not be here tomorrow, live in this house or have my children and grandchildren. And if I do not tell them, then I will wake up tomorrow and I will know his fate and my own. And I cannot live with that I think. I have lived with that destiny for fifty years and it has haunted my dreams._

She knew what would have to be done.

At first, they would be confused and then have to be convinced that she was who she was saying she was_. Of course she knew what would happen, she'd already gone through it once hadn't she? Now Hermione, you silly woman, we are just rehearsing again, _she told herself as she spritzed on perfume and studied her reflection in the mirror of her dresser.

She would take them through the house, Harry's parent's house and one she had not left; had never left. She could not leave it and forego this chance to meet herself again and right the wrong she had unknowingly caused so many years before.

Then, as they walked through the house she would point out the pictures on the wall and pick up an item here and there to show them. These were old things, Hogwarts memorabilia that she had placed for the occasion.

All of this had happened before, but instead of being helpful she had remained silent when they had asked their questions. She had been an old lady living out her last days in the cottage where Harry would have returned if he had lived. And perhaps they would have been husband and wife and the children that were hers might have been theirs. She adjusted the rose she had pinned to her bodice and started out the door, still thinking as she went. But he had not lived, had not defeated Voldemort. And she, Hermione had known that she had loved him only after he was gone.

"I was only eighteen," Hermione said as she stepped into the coolness of the sitting room. "How would I have known my heart then? I was a child." That was the reasoning she always gave herself. Se didn't think she was doing this because of selfishness. She knew that if she were successful Harry might still live and her life might be much different, but it was the reason for doing it as well. She wanted to correct the mistake she had made and maybe make a difference, to all of them.

She thought of the fifty years she had spent thinking of this day. _Hermione Granger_, she said to herself aloud as she smoothed out the material of the buttercup yellow dress she wore, _this is your last chance._

The clock on the mantel rang out the hour and three chimes told her that the time was near. She could feel butterflies from nervousness and sat down in the high-backed, winged chair in her sitting room. The room was dark because of the shade of the tall tree in her front window. She pulled her wand out and gave it a casual twirl to produce a tall glass of iced lemonade. She sipped at it with her lips pursed and leaned her head back against the chair.

"Calm yourself down," she murmured. "You were an Auror. One of the Ministry's best. Now look at you, scared as a rabbit and you are just meeting yourself." _And seeing him again,_ she thought.

The thought of seeing the seventeen year old Harry again was what was giving her nerves. He had been a sweet boy and good looking. He had been her best friend; he and Ron. School would have been a difficult experience without the two of them. Of course, there had been all the worry about Voldemort and the Horcruxes and she had watched Harry suffer from it. All of that had been dreadful. They had all fought so hard and in the end, of course, Voldemort had killed him.

"That's going to change," she said to the fly buzzing on the window sill. She sat the lemonade down and touched her wand, still in its' customary spot, and then stood. "Yes, I will make sure of that. Even if I never see you again Harry or speak your name I will make that change today."

The clock ticked away soothingly and she finally turned and glanced at it one more time before opening the front door and stepping out once again into the shade of the tree. She sat down at the table and watched the front gate. At exactly half past the hour- she could hear the clock chiming from her seat- she saw the two figures walking towards her gate.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two The Story Begins

Revealing herself to them and explaining what had happened so many years before was not the hardest part of their initial greeting. They followed her willingly through the house and she showed them the memorabilia and answered her younger counterparts many questions.

She remembered those questions in detail. After all hadn't she been that eighteen year old Hermione fifty years ago. She'd also prepared the answers. What was difficult was in being patient. She wanted to tell them everything and in great detail and then tell them her plan; the plan she had worked out so that it would all turn out all right. And the Harry that stood before her looking at her with those wonderful green eyes and that innocent sad face would be able to smile at her and her heart could stop aching. Then, what ever happened afterward wouldn't matter.

Hermione looked at Harry and then at her and almost immediately began to think through the implications of what was happening. "I knew it Harry, I just knew that we had to go forward in time." She fingered the small time-turner that she dangled on a fine filigree chain around her neck. "This lady...this Hermione..." she looked embarrassed and glanced quickly at the older woman, "has the answers. She knows what happens next-to us-to Voldemort. She knows how you kill Voldemort and destroy the Horcruxes. Don't you?" She turned to her older self.

"I don't know Hermione..." Harry was still examining the Marauder's Map. "Do you mind? he asked the older woman and she smiled and shook her head. She knew that he needed to check it out to be sure; to believe completely. It was all she could do to not burst out laughing. She had been waiting for this for a long time. "Please do." She waved her hand at the map and then waited.

He took out his wand and touched the paper and said the words, "I promise I am up to no good." The paper sprang to life under his fingers and his eyes widened and he looked at her with mounting surprise. "You...you really are Hermione!" He looked at her and then at the other, and she and the younger Hermione burst out at the same time, "Harry! I told you."

They stopped altogether and there was a pause before they collectively let out their breaths. She and the younger woman looked at each other and then at Harry. None of them were quite sure how to act. Finally the older woman smiled brightly at the two and said, "Now that we have that settled. We have a lot to talk about. I have a early supper prepared and we can sit comfortably in the garden and eat. I have a story to tell and it is a long one."

"I don't know if we can stay in this time very long," Hermione began and then blushed. "But of course you know that."

"Yes dear, I do," the old woman said and ushered them out into the shaded garden. "We have time," she said, reassuringly and then left them.

"Harry do you really understand what this means?" Hermione said staring at the back of the woman as she left them. "I mean...oh it's so bizarre."

Harry nodded and watched the woman leave too. "Yeah. I know what you mean," he said and turned to her. "But if you're right then this is going to be a big help." He dropped into a chair and stared at the old yellow dog snoozing in the grass. His mind was whirling with the possibilities.

They had been at Fleur and Bill's wedding. They were still dressed in dress robes and Hermione was still wearing flowers in her hair as one of the bridesmaids. They had held the wedding on his birthday, the day he had left the Dursleys for the final time. It had been a horrible month, leaving Hogwarts after Dumbledore's death, having to return to the Dursleys. His Aunt and Uncle had been forewarned about his new inheritance by Dumbledore before term started and his Uncle Vernon had been harassing him about sharing that inheritance.

Other things had happened in that month; worrying about the Horcruxes, finding them and destroying them, thinking about how he was going to track Snape down and kill him. And all the time seeing and hearing about the news, Remus Lupin's visit and all of it. Then, finally the wedding. He had looked forward to it. It was a chance to see Hermione and Ron and have a little fun again. _Just a day,_ he had told himself. _Just give me one day to forget all of it and not worry anymore, then I can face it all._

But he hadn't been given a day. The wedding had been a means for Voldemort to find him and attack, just like the Quidditch World cup had been the target for the Death Eaters to come out and show themselves. _If it hadn't been for Hermione and the time turner, they would still be there at the Burrow, fighting and probably dying, _he thought. He looked at Hermione and saw a scorch mark on the side of her pretty summer gown and felt his stomach turn. That was where a spell had almost caught her.

Now time stood still and they were in a garden talking to a woman, to another Hermione fifty years into the future. Did he want to know what happened back then? Could it be changed?

"Harry," she began. She stood staring off into the meadow and a small breeze lifted and blew the curls of hair that lay on her long slender neck. She turned to him and her eyes were bright. "I'm scared."

He nodded. "Hermione how could we have all been so stupid. All of us were together. Didn't anyone think that Voldemort would figure it out and think it was the best time to attack. He knew I was vulnerable today. It's all my fault he really only wanted me."

She frowned at him and then sat down and took his hand. "Stop it! You have to stop thinking that way. We should have been on our guard. We're all in this together Harry. He has declared war and we are all in this together. He might want you but that's not what its really all about. If anything it's about me...and other muggle born." She stroked his hand and sighed deeply. "Now we have a chance we didn't have before...with her..." she glanced at the house, "with me."

"Hermione how did you ever get the time-turner anyway? They were all destroyed in the Department of Mysteries the day that...that Sirius died."

She smiled coyly and let go his hand to touch the object that dropped into the heart-shaped crevice of her breasts. "I stole it."

The older Hermione did not have to hear the conversation. She stood in her little kitchen and sat the glasses of cold lemonade on the tray. she was preparing dinner the 'muggle way' without using her wand very often. She preferred it that way and found pleasure in making things with her hands. She closed her eyes and took a breath and then picked up the tray. _Yes, they will have gotten to that part of the conversation_, she thought and turned and left the kitchen carrying the tray with her.

"What do you mean you stole it?" Harry asked in surprise.

"It was in Dumbledore's office," both Hermione's answered.

The older woman smiled again and walked towards them with the tray. Harry jumped to his feet and met her halfway across the lawn and took it from her. She turned it over to him and felt her heart skip a beat. _Silly woman_, she thought. _He is not my lover and never will be_. _But perhaps_... she glanced at the younger girl, now dressed so pretty in her wedding bridesmaid's dress..._yes, perhaps_, she thought.

The younger Hermione answered. "I was summoned to Dumbledore's office at end of term by Professor McGonagall. She wanted to make sure that I was returning to Hogwarts." Hermione followed Harry with her eyes as he sat the tray down. "She left the room and I was standing there and saw it. I had turned mine in after term. It's silly to think that Dumbledore wouldn't know about them or even have one, and he did. So I took it."

"Hermione!" Harry said breathlessly and plopped down in a chair.

The older woman also sat and smiled at the younger girl. "Finally got some spit in you didn't you?" she said and waved a hand. "Somehow you knew that it would be important and it turned out to be very important. Of course, McGonagall probably turned Hogwarts inside out looking for that blessed thing." She shook her head and handed them each a glass of lemonade.

"Will you tell us," Hermione asked.

"Yes," the other said. "I will tell you my story. Understand it may not end up being your own." The older woman sat back and began to rock slowly in the chair. "We were dancing Harry...you and I at the wedding. We were talking because I was upset. Ron had asked me to marry him and I wasn't ready to answer him. It was too soon and I thought it was because of circumstances... you know, all the events that were taking place, Dumbledore's death and all. I thought that it was pressuring him to ask me." She glanced at Harry who was nodding, his brow knitted in concentration. She went on, "I had promised myself that I would stay near you, that you weren't going to wander off to try and find the Horcruxes alone, to try and kill Voldemort alone. I just knew in my heart that you would try and do that and I wasn't going to abandon you. If I married Ron it would only complicate things and I wasn't even sure that I wanted to marry him." The older woman stopped and rocked again, slowing her thoughts down. She did not want to hurry this.

"That's what I was thinking, "the young Hermione murmured. "Exactly what I was thinking."

"We were dancing when the attack occurred," the old woman went on. "Without thinking I threw the time-turner around both our necks and turned it and turned it without really looking at it. Then ,as quickly as I could, I did a side-along apparition and brought us to Godric's Hollow. It was the first place that came to mind." The older Hermione sipped her lemonade and waited, but the two young people did not speak.

"We came to your parent's house Harry. This one. I had researched it at one time. I'm embarrassed to say it was just out of curiosity you understand." She glanced at Harry who nodded slowly. "Of course, I was the eighteen year old girl who met an old woman who told us that she was me... us...you." The older woman looked at Hermione and then shook her head. "Don't think about it. It makes you dizzy after awhile. Time is very complicated you know. Anyway, we came here and we talked to the old woman. But she told us nothing, she would say nothing. And so the events that then took place were never changed, never modified."

The young Hermione was frowning and nodding as well. "So if you tell us what happened this time then we can change those events. But that would also mean we would change the future, your future. That could really be bad for you."

The woman smiled again. "Yes, I have thought about that. I have had fifty years to think about it. If I tell you the story and you change what happens then, perhaps, you shall never have to visit me again." She turned to the young Hermione, "Maybe you will end up sitting in this garden when you are old and gray as I am now, perhaps not."

"But you know," Harry said. "You know what happened and you can tell us what we have to do...how we go about it. You know what happens."

"Yes, I do," the older Hermione answered slowly. "Harry, you die at the wedding. There are many others that do as well. It takes years to bring Voldemort to his knees and even then the world is a changed place." She rocked forward and sat her glass with its beads of water running like tears down the side on the table and faced him. "Not all of the Horcruxes are found and destroyed. I tell you it is a gray cloud that hangs over us even now!"

She shook her fist and slammed it down on the chair. "It was my fault that you died. I made a mistake and it cost you your life. You truly should have been the Chosen One who saved the wizarding world from such a dark wizard. But I made a mistake, a horrible mistake. Now I have waited fifty long years to correct that mistake and put things back on the right path!"

She felt a small pain in her chest as her heart thumped wildly. She had felt that pain before when she had been gardening or on her long walks with Hagrid. Now she placed a hand on her chest and wheezed a little. _Calm down, calm down you old fool_, she thought to herself. She looked up at them. "Yes, believe it or not, Hermione Granger made a mistake," she said quietly and grinned. The younger woman was pushed back in her chair with a horrified expression on her face. It made the old woman smile even wider. "But we are gonna fix it today."

"Will you tell us then?" Hermione whispered.

The old woman nodded and her eyes became a piercing brown. She looked off across the green grass to the lane beyond. "We came to this house when I was eighteen and we went away with nothing. The old woman that we met -me- was too frightened to talk to us. I knew then after all that happened that if I should live to meet myself once again, as I have today, that I would not be so cowardly."

Her voice didn't soften even when the young woman blanched pale. "I became a dark wizard hunter, an Auror, although I did not work for the Ministry of Magic. Delores Umbridge had taken Scrimgeour's place. After the massacre at the Burrow, she made it clear through her control of the Daily Prophet that Scrimgeour had mishandled the situation and it would be she who would put it all right. Well of course we all know what she was and who she was loyal too. I didn't go back to Hogwarts for the final term, because you had been assassinated, Harry." The eyes turned towards him, and she said "I was on a hunt. I was determined to take your place and do what you could no longer do." She sighed and closed her eyes.

"No...no, not this way." She opened them again. "I'm sorry. I am getting ahead of myself. I knew I would and I will try and control my impatience to tell the story out of sequence." She shook her head and started again. "We left here and we argued. I did not want to return to the Burrow because I thought it too dangerous. They were under attack and I felt that putting you in harm's way was not the solution." She stared at Harry, while the younger Hermione nodded. "You, of course, wanted to fight at the side of your friends."

Harry also nodded and looked over quickly at Hermione.

"We did go back," she sighed. "It was the wrong thing to do. People were dying left and right. There were so many there; Moody, and Lupin, Shacklebolt and friends of Mr. Weasley's from the Ministry. Of course, Tonks and the whole family, Fred and George; Ginny. McGonagall and many of the teachers at Hogwarts were also there, like Flitwick and Madam Sprout. Neville and several others that had already left school were there, friends of Fred and George's." The older Hermione could see them in her mind and her internal eye roved over the crowd as she named aloud. "I just never understood why they thought it safe to have all of those people in one place for the wedding." There was a long pause.

"Who gave them away?" Harry growled.

The older Hermione looked at him and the scowl on his face. She knew that face so well, could read it even after fifty years.

"Percy Weasley," she answered simply. "His mother, Molly invited him to the wedding. She could never accept the idea that he would betray his family. But he did." Hermione folded her wrinkled, veined hands in her lap. "I killed him later."

There was a surprised gasp from the young woman at her right and the older Hermione looked up. "Oh yes, I became quite capable of a number of things as time went on. I actually assassinated Delores Umbridge, too, although I should have left her to Voldemort. She deserved to die by his hands. Anyway, she ordered the imprisonment and execution of some of the Weasley family and I had no qualms about killing her."

Hermione and Harry looked at one another and then back at her. She waited and felt the pain ease in her chest and continued. "We apparated back to the Burrow where the fight was continuing."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Before you go on, will you tell me what happened to Ron?" Hermione asked.

The other nodded as she began to serve her fried chicken and salad. "He went on to become a hero. He's still in the books even today." She shook her head sadly and continued, "After you declined his proposal, which I think brought him relief and maybe some regret, he went after the Malfoys with a vengeance. After all they had been the Death Eaters that had attacked at the wedding; both Lucius and Draco. They were also present when Fred and George Weasley were hanged."

"Hanged!" Harry spit and coughed, setting the his own lemonade aside.

The two Hermione's looked at him and the older one answered. "Perhaps I should not be so blunt; but then we have little time and it is important that you know everything. That is the reason for my telling you, so that it can be changed...the events can be altered...have to be... ." Her voice had become strident and she pushed her plate away from her. It had been a long time since she had been hungry and the food looked appetizing but not important somehow.

She found her voice again and said, "They were called sympathizers. They had produced weapons that helped our side, shielding charms and so on. Oh you have to understand the mentality of the times. Voldemort quickly infiltrated every aspect of government and his rule became law. He was rarely ever present, given his appearance, but his Death Eaters were everywhere. They grew into an army very quickly and Malfoy was prominent among them. People understood that Fred and George were really just innocent shopkeepers, entrepreneurs. Actually, both of them were quite brilliant in their own way. Sadly I never got to tell them so." The old woman shook her head, her hand still pressed against her chest. She continued, "However, no one stepped forward to stop it...couldn't stop this wave of horror and terror that swept over everything. I witnessed their execution and stood there holding Ginny while it happened. She almost gave birth right then and there."

"Will you stop!" Harry gasped. "Just...just give me a moment." He stood and wandered out into the garden and away from the two Hermiones.

"Yes...I really need to get on with this in a straightforward manner. We both must confine ourselves to the telling of it and not let questions get in the way. Forgive me. I'm trying to squeeze all that happened in a few short years into a few short minutes," the old woman said. The younger Hermione nodded.

They waited patiently and Harry returned, his face drawn down in a gloomy dark look. "Go on," he said finally.

The afternoon shadows were growing long, but the heat of the day had intensified as it often does just before the sun begins its downward climb and the coolness of evening sets in. The elderly Hermione straightened and smoothed her dress, the one she had chosen so carefully and began to speak. "We should have returned to the wedding much earlier, an hour earlier, at the very least. I was right about not wanting to go back you see. We apparated right in the middle of a war zone. You were struck by a killing curse almost immediately when you tried to protect me. The time-turner, which I could have used again to correct my mistake, was destroyed when I was hit by another curse, one that I regrettably survived. I could not take those minutes back you see. I could not change what happened, although I have wished it a million times."

The older Hermione looked up at both of them with an earnest face. "There is a lot that I can tell you, about where to find the Horcruxes and how to destroy them. I can even tell you about Voldemort, about facing him and destroying him. You see I have made it my life's work to have that information ready for you. However there is no point in telling you about what took place unless you are willing to do exactly as I say this time round."

She studied Harry's face. "I was always letting you and Ron persuade me about things. You both would ignore my warnings and my admonitions. I know we were friends but you two were always closer and there were things that you were not willing to share with anyone Harry; not even, I think, with Ron, and he was your best mate. I could not dissuade you."

"That day on the lane..." she looked over towards the front of the house, "when we argued Harry. I should have forced you to listen...and I didn't. I later held your head in my lap and protected your body as the fighting took place around us. I watched you buried and I watched others buried next to you. You were brave, but bravery is not enough. This time you must listen. No matter that your friends are under attack, if you go back to try and help them you will die, and many of them will die, and this history will go on in a vicious circle and never change."

The younger Hermione reached over and took his hand and he stared at her with a frown fixed on his face. He finally nodded and the older woman gave sigh of relief and turned to her younger self.

"There is also something that you must do when you return. It will be unpleasant and people will think you have gone mad...it is risky..." she continued to speak into the afternoon. The old dog got up turned twice in a circle and then lay down and went back to sleep without acknowledging the old woman's company.

Finally, it grew late and the three stood.

"I have something that I want to speak to you about before you go," she said to the young girl. They walked a short way around the side of the house and stood in the evening shadows of the shed.

The young girl stood motionless for a moment and then nodded. She was a picture to look at standing in the tall grasses with their fuzzy purple heads and yellow daisy faces and she in her long gown and her hair braided with flowers of golds and reds. And standing before her in a yellow dress, bent slightly, her grayish brown hair wrapped up on top of her head was an older woman, an attractive woman, who wore the same profile as the younger. They stood talking and then embraced.

She finally joined Harry. They walked to the lane together. The old woman watched them until they had passed beyond a bend in the road. She went back to her chair and sat down slowly and seemed to nod off into a dreamless nap.

Insects buzzed in the tall grasses. Harry and Hermione did not look back.

---------------------

They stood in the lane for a good twenty minutes arguing.

"You know that was me, Harry!" Hermione spat. She stood in the dust of the road in her long gown with her hands on her hips. "I am not going to use this time-turner to take us back to the wedding until we decide what we are going to do."

"Fine!" Harry answered. "If you want to resurrect me from the dead then you can use the time-turner to take us back a month before and not just an hour. Take us back before Dumbledore was killed. Let us both survive."

Hermione was speechless and stood pondering his words. "Well...that would mean...so you want me to..." She stuttered and stared at the orange slice of sun on the horizon. "But I won't have the time-turner Harry," she finally mustered. "And according to THAT Hermione," she nodded down the road where they had just come, "it comes in pretty handy. You don't have to wait around fifty years to try and fix things. Of course, YOU KNOW, that I think using them is really dangerous... but still if we go back to the night of Dumbledore's death then I will not have gotten the time-turner. It was only afterward..."

Harry interrupted, a little angrily, "...Not so dangerous as to not want to have one in your possession and use it." He could see that she was stunned by his words but still about to argue. "Alright, alright. I agree. Ok? But we still need Dumbledore even if we have all the information about the Horcruxes. I want him alive. I can't bring my parents back or Sirius even though I would like to..." he saw her take in a deep breath, readying for an assault and he hurriedly continued, "...and no, I'm not going to ask for that."

He thought that perhaps at a later time he would consider it. Just now he was fending off more arguments. " I just want to go back in time and save Albus. If you want the time-turner then you need to go to his office after Dumbledore and I leave to find the Horcrux and before we return from the cave. It might be there in his office and you can steal it then."

She stared at him and he could see her thinking it over. She was taking a long time.

"Hermione," he growled.

"Just a moment!" she said and stamped her foot. "We really need to think this over a bit more. It's so complicated Harry. If we do this and the time-turner is not there..."

"Then it isn't there," Harry quickly added. "But we don't need it either. We know what has to be done. At the very least, we have to stop the wedding . That has to be something we both agree on. After that it becomes a new future. Even that...Hermione," he tilted his head up the road, " knew that by telling us about the events of her past it would force us to act differently and change the future. She expected it. Maybe it's for the best if the time-turner is gone."

She once again paled and then nodded and pulled the chain out of her bodice and stared at the jewel. "You're right, Harry. It would be easy to depend on something like this when things go bad. Maybe we shouldn't try to go back to the point where Dumbledore dies. She intended for us only to stop the wedding."

"I need him Hermione," Harry said, his face grave. "I've lost my parents and Sirius and now Dumbledore. You have a chance to give one of them back to me. If he survives maybe I will survive later...with Voldemort. Will you take that away from me?"

"Alright Harry, but you have to promise me that you will stay away from that tower. You can't go near it. You have to let me handle it."

"And where am I suppose to be?" he asked, frowning.

"You know about this. You cannot see your other self!" she hissed and this time stood her ground.

"But I already know about time-turners," he protested. "If I see myself in Hogsmeade after we apparate it won't matter."

"But Madam Rosmerta will see you and the other Harry," Hermione answered. "No one else can see you. Besides you cannot help Dumbledore. You told me he drank the water from the lake that held the Inferi. He's already dying." Her eyes moistened.

They stood in silence feeling trapped.

"I'll go after Snape," Harry finally said. "I'll find a way to stop him from going to the tower."

She nodded, "I'll go to Dumbledore's office and fetch the time-turner and then...and then we'll meet at the potion's classroom and get the antidote. I can take it to the other Harry and Dumbledore in the tower. After he receives it then our old selves should be gone and we should begin a new future from there."

They stared at one another and shrugged at the same time. It had been no different when they had rescued Sirius, they could not predict what their actions would bring.

The old woman sat in the garden with eyes closed and watched the scene play out before her in the darkness. She had not told them everything. She knew herself too well and knew what the younger Hermione was thinking and what action she would take even before it presented itself in the young Hermione's mind. She knew the conversation they were having, word for word. She could not tell them about it, they would not have listened.

The pain ebbed and flowed in her chest and she found it more difficult to breath. "Go ahead girl," she whispered between bluish lips, "turn it."

Hermione calculated the correct amount of spins needed, stepped forward and threw the chain around Harry's neck and her own, and twisted it.

---------------------

They had ended up back at the Burrow, in the dark, in the field where the party had been held. Harry didn't argue long when she demanded that she do another side-along apparation to Hogwarts, he knew that he could not do magic outside of the school before he became of age. They parted in the main hallway, he for Snape's quarters and she to go to Dumbledore's office.

She arrived at the bottom of the staircase and stood before the gargoyles that protected them. She was alone. The staircase was open and she did not need a password. She climbed them silently and let herself into the headmaster's office. It was only then that she reached for the chain around her neck and noticed the time-turner was still hanging from it. She wondered at that for a moment and was about to turn around and leave the room when a deep and very familiar voice sounded behind her.

"Well if it isn't Miss Granger, breaking a rule. This is an offense that can and will get you expelled. I promise that!" The voice was angry. "And out of uniform as well I see."

She turned slowly and made out the features of her potion's master in the dark.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I should ask you the same question, Professor," she answered quickly. "You should be on your way to the astronomy tower to kill Professor Dumbledore."

"What are you talking about girl?" he hissed the question and lit his wand. The light of it struck on the time-turner she still held in her hand. it remained suspended on the chain that hung from her neck. " I received a message that Headmaster Dumbledore was injured and I came up to his office to check on him." He moved closer and stared at her throat. "Unless you have been summoned here, which I think you have not, or there is an emergency, which I think unlikely; then you are trespassing...and stealing? "What have you got there? They all were supposed to have been destroyed," he breathed his eyes narrowing.

She knew, he knew, what it was and what she was really doing.

"I came to prevent you from killing him," she said simply. "You intend to do that don't you?"

"No," he answered sharply. "Just the opposite. I believe that there is an assassin and that Albus is in danger but not from me."

"Really?" Hermione closed the time-turner in her fist. "Draco is supposed to kill him but he won't; he won't have the courage to do it. Dumbledore will fly to the castle on a broom and land on the astronomy tower. Someone will tell Draco, who will go up there with other Death Eaters. They are already in the castle. Then you will burst in at the last moment and do the job for him."

Hermione remembered the last words the old woman had spoke to her as they stood in the shadows of the old shed.

"We do not have much time girl," she said. "You do not marry Ron because you know in your heart, if you search it carefully, that you love another."

The young Hermione stared at her and then murmured, "Harry."

The old woman nodded. "I do not believe that time should be meddled with, especially to bring back the dead. But I am willing to dance with the devils to make this happen. You must go back and change it even though people may think you have suddenly gone mad or worse become a seer. There will be many risks and perhaps sacrifices on your part, but you must do what I could not do." The old woman's eyes lit on the gold chain. "By the way, we were right in the end, you and I. Snape was not our enemy, he was not Dumbledore's murderer. He was absolved of his crimes but only after he was sent to Azkaban where he died many years later. I believe that you must consider that."

The eyes sharpened and the old woman twisted her gnarled hands into fists. "I cannot advise you anymore. Again, your future will more than likely be much different than my own. The first step is with him." She glanced at Harry who stood waiting in the garden. "Because of your love for him, you will be willing to do many things. Think it through carefully. The terrible weight of the thing that you carry around your neck will begin to take its' toll, even for you...for us. You must stop that wedding from ever taking place that is one certainty."

Snape was shaking his head as she spoke. "It will not be me." His beetle-black eyes were darker then the darkness around them. his voice and words brought her back to her present situation.

"Then who?" Hermione challenged.

There was a long pause as he seemed to be thinking the matter over. His eyes never left the time-turner at her throat. And then he spoke, "Draco's mother came to me with her sister, Bellatrix Lestrange. She knew what the dark lord had intended to do with Draco. He was a Death Eater and was therefore under the dark lord's power. She begged me to protect him and finish the task that was set for him. I was put in a position of making an unbreakable vow to her or risk exposing my situation..."

"As a spy for Dumbledore?" Hermione asked.

He nodded.

"Did you make the vow?" she asked.

He nodded again.

"Then you do intend to kill Albus Dumbledore," she said.

He shook his head. "I became aware early on at the beginning of term of Draco's actions. He was very...unskilled, shall we say, in his assassination attempts. He was never meant to be the true assassin. The dark lord was using him as a decoy. Narcissa and Bella knew what the plan was to be. I did not. I lied to them and took the oath to cover my ignorance. I later tried to extract the plan from the boy but was unsuccessful.The dark lord shield his thoughts and I could not use Occlumency to discover them. You should know of this if you have used that device around your neck. You have come from the future and are aware of the past or you would not speak to me in this way."

Hermione circled the table of shiny objects that had been Dumbledore's small treasures in her attempt to keep her distance from him. "That is why I know that you are the assassin," she answered. "Harry was on the tower under an invisibility cloak that night. Dumbledore had been badly injured but had placed a freezing charm on him to prevent his interference. Harry watched you do it, he watched you kill Dumbledore. The world knows of your duplicity. You murdered Albus Dumbledore and I will not let you do it again."

Snape stopped circling the table with her and glanced off into the dark and then turned his gaze back on her. "Is that happening now?"

She nodded.

"Then we must act quickly," he said and started to turn. He stopped when he felt her wand in his back. "Miss Granger. If you have used the time-turner to come back to prevent Albus' death then perhaps it is wise that you drop your wand and we rush to his aid."

"Have you not heard me Professor? Whatever makes you think I would let you anywhere near that tower?" she asked.

"I do not intend to kill Albus Dumbledore," he groaned.

"You took an UNBREAKBLE VOW, Professor," Hermione snapped.

"I have taken steps to nullify it. I will not follow through," Snape responded. "I do not know the entire plan or its' objectives but if you already know that Albus is murdered then we must act to stop it."

"We have time," she muttered.

"Oh yes, I see." He placed a hand on the table and leaned on it without looking back. "What shall it be Miss Granger, forward or backward? Time I mean. However you managed to get that time-turner you must be aware that dabbling about in events of the past or future can be very destructive. Perhaps such things should be left to wiser and more skilled wizards. Maybe it would be wise to handle the events of the present and not meddle in time."

"Shall we let Dumbledore die and have the wizarding world accuse you?" she asked, now adding sarcasm to her own voice.

"You have already changed events by telling me about them," Snape answered. "Obviously, I am not anywhere near the Astronomy tower. Therefore I cannot kill him. But he can die. The message was clear, he was hurt badly.

"Yes, he has drunk from the waters where Inferi dwell," Hermione answered chewing on her lip.

Snape reacted violently to the news. he straightened and tried to turn. She stabbed at him again. "Then he must be tended to and very quickly," he hissed.

"So if it is not you...then who?" she mumbled.

"Listen to me girl..." Snape began

"Do you have any veritaserum, Professor?" she asked.

He nodded and slowly began to turn. She allowed it until the light of her own wand shown in his face.

"Now stop!" she demanded. He stopped his movement and stared down at her wand. She continued, "Good. I suggest we make a trip to the dungeons to look in your personal stock." She pushed the wand into him and he stopped his motion. "Or can you call it to you?"

"I will need my wand," he said. He was looking down his aquiline nose at her, but his expression was bland and unreadable.

"Very well. One false move Professor and I shall put a hole in you large enough to reach through." Her determined and vitriolic response seemed to surprise him and yet he complied.

Ten minutes later she stepped to him and threw the gold chain around his neck. They faced each other so closely that they were almost in an embrace and she glared at him. Her wand was now pressed against his middle. "When did you say this visit with Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange took place?"

"This is not wise, Miss Granger. Why are we going back to that time?"

"If you are being truthful then someone else was on that tower who looked like you. I cannot stop that person unless I know who that was." She saw the look that almost resembled a sneer. "I am not here to rescue you Professor. I am here to stop Dumbledore's murder."

She twisted the time-turner once again.

They arrived on the street only minutes before Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange apparated to the roadside.

"This is what we are going to do Professor," Hermione said quietly. "I am going to the door and I will stun you...the other Professor, and gain entry."

Snape was studying her as if she were a very interesting bug on the wall. "Pettigrew is there. He is a snoop and will be watching carefully."

"You can take care of him when I gain entry." She was breathing hard as they walked along the roadway in the muggle neighborhood. "Make sure you do because I will have my wand on you. Now tell me what exactly happens during this visit? Do you offer them something to drink so that we can put the veritaserum in it?"

Snape walked more confidently up the garden path to the front door. "I will offer them wine. That is what they were given before."

"Good, good." She shivered in the misty fog. She still wore the gown that she had worn to the wedding and was shivering. It was not July any longer.

"What exactly are you intending to do?" he asked as they walked.

"We are going to learn of Voldemort's plan and I am going to prevent you from taking the Unbreakable Vow. We are going to go back and find out who really tries to kill Professor Dumbledore and save his life." She stumbled and the point of her wand jabbed him in the back in the ribs. He straightened and stopped momentarily and then walked on in front of her. She continued talking, "Only then can Dumbledore clear your name. I'm doing you a favor, Professor. If I hadn't shown up this evening you would be a fugitive on the run before the night was over. The whole wizarding world would know what you had done."

"That's very noble of you, Miss Granger. Where are your companions, the other two? It's rather brave and daring of you to do this on your own. Frankly, I didn't think that you would have the nerve."

Hermione laughed a joyless laugh. "You might be surprised what I am capable of Professor. After all, I have the advantage of having seen the past and what happens. If you really are loyal to Dumbledore then we will know soon enough."

They stopped at the door to a grungy muggle house wedged between two others. Hermione stopped and waited until he had stepped into the shadows and then tapped on the door. A moment later a thin light shown from the door and when the occupant, Snape, opened it in surprise at his visitor, Hermione raised her wand and stunned him. She quickly stepped aside and let his double step over the prone body and pull it away into another room.

"I must see to Pettigrew," Snape whispered, glancing around him to a wall that looked like an ordinary library shelf with books. "If he sees you then all of this will have been in vain. He will warn the women."

Hermione heard the knock on the front door and knew it was Narcissa Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. She nodded and watched Snape step into the sitting room and wait until Pettigrew appeared to answer it. Snape waved his wand and Hermione heard the words of the incantation. He was using the Imperious Curse. Peter seemed to teeter on his feet with a stunned expression on his face. He relaxed and nodded and moved to the wall.

She followed Pettigrew behind the wall of books that had swung open. She waited with him, standing in a narrow confined area at the bottom of a set of stairs. She could hear the conversation that followed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four Raging Storm

The arguments Snape gave to Lestrange were convincing for believing that he was truly a servant to Voldemort. Hermione stood with the semi-conscious Pettigrew at her side listening at the door. She was there when Pettigrew produced the wine and again when Snape shot a spell at the door and knocked Pettigrew back. She waited patiently until she thought that the truth potion had taken effect and then stepped into the room.

She gingerly opened the false wall door and entered. Bellatrix Lestrange was sitting next to her sister Narcissa Malfoy. There was little familial resemblance between the two. Narcissa looked like a finely groomed woman of wealth and stature next to her coarse dark sister. They were both staring mutely at the opposite wall.

"How! How the devil did you get into my house," he exclaimed.

She was taken back by his visible surprise and reaction to her presence. She knew immediately that by changing the situation she had changed his past, present and future; and her own. His other self had melted away and she was left with the man who knew nothing of the meeting her in Dumbledore's office, or of their conversation, or of the Unbreakable Vow.

She held her wand on him and watched the open door for Pettigrew who would also no longer be under the Imperious Curse. "Don't move and I shall explain," she said. It took ten minutes to outline the situation; to tell him about the wedding, the time trip to her other, older self; the return trip to the time just before Dumbledore's death and then their own time travel to his house to question the Black sisters. "I know it sounds very confusing but we cannot waste time. The veritaserum will wear off and we will have lost our opportunity. Besides I think we need to do something about Pettigrew. He'll tell Voldemort what has happened."

Snape didn't snarl and put her off as he normally did. He stared at her with his dark eyes and said, "Very well. If you will lower your wand and watch these two I will take care of him."

She looked first at the women and then back at him.

"Miss Granger. In MY present, it is MY idea to do this. I have given the potion to these two in order to interrogate them. I have not committed the crime you accuse me of and we have not started the term for the coming year. So I believe you need to place some trust in me and allow me to go after Pettigrew before it is too late."

She nodded and swallowed hard. He left the room immediately. He returned and he did not look pleased.

"Too late?" she asked and he nodded. He turned to the two women who remained sitting and silent. "You were very convincing Professor Snape." She waited until he turned to her. "About be a loyal servant to the dark lord. It sounded like the truth."

He studied her carefully and then answered slowly, "Truth? It is a twisted truth Miss Granger. I told them what they needed to hear. There was enough truth in what I said to convince them. If you want me to tell you a story I can do that as well. What is important right now is to complete the task I have before me. The potion will not last long and I want to know about the dark lord's plan. I will then do a little trick of my own with time. I will make them believe that they have not lost any time and they will leave not knowing they have been questioned."

"What happens when Mrs. Malfoy asks you to take the Unbreakable Vow?" Hermione asked. "You can see she is distraught. It's clear that she wants you to save Draco from something. You told me that you were forced to take it to prove yourself to Lestrange."

Snape looked again at the women and then nodded. "Leave that to me." He frowned. "I do have a suggestion if you will hear it. If what you say is true then I will interrogate these two, learn of the plan and some preventive steps can be taken. You will not be attacked at the wedding and Mr. Potter will not die. As such, you have changed the future and so have I with our new knowledge. I believe if you check you will find that the time-turner is gone."

She reached for the gold chain at her neck and found to her surprise that the small jeweled object was, indeed, missing. " My suggestion to you is to return home. My further advice is to keep what you know to yourself. You cannot know what events you have put into action this night."

Hermione looked at him and considered his words. They had gone back far enough in time that nothing that had taken place in her time had actually happened yet. She would have to replicate the actions that she had taken the previous year and go through the whole school term again but she would have knowledge that she had not had before. However, she had left Harry behind and he would not remember any of it because it had also not happened to him yet.

"How can I trust you when I know what you intended to do? You could be playing a trick on me even now."

Snape sighed deeply and once again checked the condition of his captives. "Dumbledore's assassination is in the planning stages and yes, I am to be the one who kills him. It is a plan to draw Voldemort into the open and deepen his trust in me. If he thinks Dumbledore is dead then he may reveal himself. We are also searching...for something that is very important." He hesitated and she knew why. It was clear neither wanted to be the first to mention the Horcruxes. If Dumbledore had told him then he really did trust him.

Hermione thought it over. She had not mentioned the Horcruxes in her review of the past events. "What you are looking for... the object...Harry destroyed one when he destroyed the diary in the Chamber of Secrets."

Snape nodded and replied, "He injured his hand destroying another."

She nodded. "In my time Dumbledore and Harry are on seeking another when he is injured and they return to Hogwarts the night Dumbledore is killed."

He continued, "If you have seen the future results of our work here, Miss Granger, then it is clear that the plan worked and I would not have you change it by saving Dumbledore's life." He raised an eyebrow again and looked impatient this time. "We have very little time," he hissed. "I must know what these two know so that we can be prepared."

"I'll leave, Professor, on one condition. That you and I meet and discuss this. I'll be at Hogwarts soon and I plan to knock on your door first thing. I want to know how you plan on protecting Harry. From my point of view if your plan succeeds and you fake Dumbledore's death to entice Voldemort into the open then Harry will be left very vulnerable. If you refuse I'll take this to Dumbledore," she said it firmly and didn't back down.

"Very well," he conceded. " Be forewarned. It would be unwise for you to make any more changes or to tell anyone what you know until we meet and have a chance to discuss this. Now will you leave!"

And she did.

-----------------------------

She found it difficult to act surprised when Harry told her and Ron about the entire prophecy later at the Burrow. She also thought she acted very normal when she received her O.W.L.S for the second time around. Harry thought she was upset because she had received a Exceeds Expectations in the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Initially, the first time around, she had, but the time had come and gone and she had undergone a transformation. Achieving excellence in academics and other mundane things like that were now not important. What was important was learning about Dumbledore and Snape's plans, learning about Voldemort's plans and finding the Horcruxes and destroying them. Harry wasn't even aware that they existed.

She studied him and reflected on her feelings about him. She loved him as a friend and would do almost anything for him, but she had yet to have the strong emotional feelings that the old woman had talked about. She was not yet attracted to him. They were planning their trip to Diagon Alley to gather their supplies and to visit the twins shop. She knew that there would be a side expedition to follow Draco.

Even though she thought that following him was unwise, it was an opportunity to pay more attention he was doing. She wanted to know what he was up to. This time she wanted to be prepared. Whatever happened she was going to make sure that the wedding of Fleur Delacour and Bill Weasley did not take place, or at the most, that Harry was not killed there or anywhere. She didn't care so much about 'falling in love' with him like her older self predicted would eventually happen, but in keeping him alive.

_If I only had the time-turner_, she thought_. I could slip off and go to the shop early and overhear Draco's conversation with Mr. Borgin and keep Harry and Ron away from there._

She did not have the time-turner and had to repeat the whole set of events all over again. She thought that she managed well even through the ordeal of meeting Narcissa Malfoy and Draco at Madam Malkin's, where he was being fitted for a robe, was difficult because of the unpleasant confrontation. It was during the heated exchange between Harry and Mrs. Malfoy that she had a chance to study Draco in more depth. He looked pale and wan; almost sickly. There was also a tremor in his hands as the shopkeeper approached him. In a fit of pique he threw the dress robes aside and stalked out. She was very close to him when he walked by and hit Ron with his shoulder.

Afterwards they moved on to Fred and George's shop. There was no change in the events that preceded or followed the trip to the shop, to Knockturn Alley and Borgin and Burkes shop, nor were there any on their trip to Hogwarts the next day.

Hermione kept Snape's words in mind and mimicked her previous behavior as closely as she could given her memory of those events.

Although she thought Harry's suspicions were probably justified about Draco becoming a Death Eater and taking his father's place, she did not want to encourage any discussion of them. She wanted to continue to act as normally as possible until she'd had a chance to talk to Snape.

Her chance finally came. It was all she could do to not stay on the Hogwart's Express and rescue Harry from Draco's vicious attack. She knew that Tonks would free him from the charm and he would arrive at school, late but relatively unharmed. She was bound and determined to seek out Snape as soon as it was possible. Whatever happened after that, if she needed to, she would do whatever had to be done to make sure Harry was alright even if that meant changing the course of history.

"You're being awful quiet, Hermione," Ron mumbled and glanced once again at the door to the Main hall. "He'll show up, something's kept him," he said, reassuringly.

Harry had still not shown and the Sorting had already taken place and they were well into the meal and Hermione knew Ron was terribly worried. She also tried to appear worried even though she knew what was going on. And indeed, her mind was busy with the thoughts of the hours and days to come and it was true worry but not for Harry's immediate absence. It was an anxiety about what part she was going to play in altering the future.

He finally came through the door with Snape at his side and he looked furious. Besides the blood that covered his clothing, his muggle clothing, and his face; there was a murderous look in his eyes and she knew Snape had been at him again.

It was then, seeing him like that; hurt and angry and hearing the whispers start flooding around them like a gusting wind, Hermione felt the raging storm begin in her heart. She used her wand to clean his face and she sat back and picked at her supper, finally relieved when Dumbledore announced it was time to go to bed. She fled from him to do her duty as a Prefect and usher the First Years towards Gryffindor tower and she didn't look back.

She knew at that moment in time that she loved him with an intensity bordering on physical pain. It was also at that moment that she made a decision. Whatever it was going to take she was going to return to Dumbledore's office and steal the time-turner again and she was going to do it before the night was out. Then she was going to confront Snape and she was going to force him to stop bullying Harry. _Everything afterwards is not important_, she decided_. At least not as important as taking care of these two tasks right away. Tomorrow I can decide what happens next_. "I've got to think every step through completely," she murmured. "I can't make any mistakes."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five Conversation with Snape

She made her way to the gargoyle that stood before the wall in front of the stairs leading to Dumbledore's office. _It's not chocolate fr_ogs, she thought, sorting through the various types of sweets Dumbledore normally chose for his password. She had been in his office only once before and that was not to speak to him but to Professor McGonagall. Standing before the gargoyle made her feel as if she had already done something wrong.

In fact she knew that she was bordering on already having done something wrong because she had used the time-turner and had already changed a number of events that had occurred in her personal present and past. The effects were as yet not noticeable.

"Acid pops," she said quietly. It was the correct word and the door slid apart and the stairs appeared. She moved up the revolving steps and listened intently. Dumbledore was in residence and the very act of attempting to sneak into his office was going to be difficult. Stealing something that belonged to him was going to be even harder.

She stopped just outside the heavy oak doors and heard two voices. Dumbledore and Snape and she also heard her name mentioned. At that moment she wished for nothing more then a set of the Weasley's twins Extendable Ears.

"Her story must be true," Snape was saying. "She knows of our plans; she admitted to knowing of the Horcruxes."

"I don't doubt that her story is true, Severus," the Headmaster mused. "She plans to meet with you. Perhaps you can persuade her to follow our instructions and help us in our endeavors. She cares about Harry Potter. She is his friend and a very smart girl. If she understands the problems then perhaps she will be of help. The truth is Severus, as you and I both know, every action she takes jeopardizes our plans. I hope that you can explain this to her."

"Headmaster,"' Snape groaned. "I would think that you would be more persuasive. I despise the girl..." his words were lost and Hermione leaned in and peered through the keyhole. She could not see either of them.

"You have contrived to live in a fragile bubble, Severus," Dumbledore said. "You reject your muggle side and live in this world and shut yourself off from the muggle world. As I have repeatedly said, there is some value in understanding muggles and their ways. I believe Arthur Weasley is one of the brightest men alive right now. He may be somewhat obsessed but he is really the perfect product. He is a pureblood with a finely tuned love of the muggle way of life. Progress is made only when we learn from one another."

"Yes, yes, yes," Snape snarled impatiently. "I have heard this argument before."

"You do yourself a disservice by having such an attitude," Dumbledore said. "Our enemy is also half- muggle and there is where our strength lies as I have said before."

Hermione could hear the weariness in his voice.

"She is..." Snape began.

"Muggle-born AND a fine witch," Dumbledore finished for him. "When she matures, I predict she will be a force to be reckoned with. For now we must explain the consequences to her."

"I disagree. She has some skills but most of her abilities come from the books she reads. I have not seen any unusual talents." Snape's voice was dry.

"That is because you are biased. You see only what you want to see." Hermione heard a chair scrape and Dumbledore's voice became clearer; much clearer. They were both moving towards the door. "Wait for her to come to you and try..." he stopped and Hermione saw the Headmaster's shadow fall across the keyhole. She jerked back, looked up and around and found a narrow alcove with a window just beside the large doors. She had no time to return to the floor below by the stairs.

She quickly slipped the window open to the clear starry sky and looked down. It was a long drop and breezy. She stepped to the ledge and pulled the window closed behind her just enough to leave a finger's width crack and enough to hear them speaking.

"Just one slip and the girl can make a mess of it," Snape was saying coldly.

"Severus the only way to avoid that is for her to disappear and that is hardly likely to happen," Dumbledore shook his head. Hermione could see the two of them standing in the outer foyer with the stairway on the right. It was brightly lit and she could see the expression on Snape's face. It gave her a chill and it wasn't from the Fall breeze that swept around her and pulled at her robes. "LET us give her credit for having the brains to understand the dilemma. Explain it to her, Severus," Dumbledore's voice sounded a little pleading and he stood with his back to the window. "I'll walk you down to the main hall. I need to make a little trip this evening and I will be back by morning. If she was serious about meeting with you I don't want you to miss her when she tries to find you."

The older man took the tall man dressed in black by the arm and turned him to the stairway.

"Headmaster your door," Snape said and held back. Dumbledore had left his office door wide open.

"Oh yes," Dumbledore said and waved his wand. The door sprang closed and locked. "I must be more cautious."

Hermione watched them enter the stairwell and she waited for an appropriate amount of time for them to descend. She opened the casement window with her toe and stepped in, thankful for the shelter.

_I can't steal it now_, she thought wryly. _He'll have put a charm on the door I can't break_. She tried several spells and sure enough the door remained closed. Deciding not to push her luck too far she followed the two down the stairs and hesitated in the hallway which was now empty.

Snape would be expecting her. She had heard the conversation and knew how he felt about her. She was not surprised. It was the other, the look that was on his face when Dumbledore talked about her disappearance. That was what bothered her.

She paced before the gargoyle, at one point deciding to forego the visit and then instantly changing her mind. With resignation she walked towards the dungeons thinking furiously about how she wanted to approach Snape.

_He doesn't know everything, _she decided. _I have told him the basic elements and no details. Perhaps I can let on that there is much more and he dare not do away with me. _She knew that Snape could easily make her disappear and have very plausible excuses for it. _Would he though_, she argued to herself. _Does he hate me that much? Will that change what is going to happen_? she wondered_. Is this all an act? Dumbledore didn't see that look, _she thought_. Is he really playing at this? Does he intend to really kill him and he has just conveniently lied to me? How will I know?_

She pondered the question of Snape's loyalty all the way to his door. It was his private quarters and not his classroom. She knew it was late and there was a good chance that he was there. She raised her hand to tap on the door and then squared her shoulders and knocked loudly. _No use in being timid_, she thought. _I have to show him I'm not afraid_.

She was beginning to understand why Harry loathed the man so much. She had been for giving him the benefit of the doubt; had even stood up for him at times.

He opened the door and stepped aside without speaking a word. His living room was lit with a number of oil lamps and was surprisingly very cozy. It had several high-backed winged chairs in front of a fireplace and tables scattered about without the typical refuse of jars and potion vials that occupied his office. There were a few books laying about and the colors of the room were green according to his position as head of Slytherin house. There were few personal items that spoke of his character. Whatever was there was meticulously placed and in order.

She stood until he motioned her into one of the chairs and he placed himself opposite her and waited.

"Perhaps we should start with some ground rules Professor," she began. "I am not here as your student and at this moment you are not my teacher. Shall we pretend that we are not at Hogwarts and that our conversation is on equal footing. If that can be agreed upon then I feel we can proceed." He glared at her and then nodded once. "Very well. I don't believe I have any reason for trusting you at all. However, let's proceed and see if there is something that we can begin to work with. It would help if you tell me of your meeting with Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy."

"I don't think Miss Granger that you are aware of what kind of man I am. I can be very dangerous, indeed. Perhaps you should leave your pretentious, precocious behavior in the corridor. Who are you to dictate to me?" he snarled, suddenly.

"And perhaps you should not try and patronize me, Professor. I spent some of the time on the Hogwarts Express writing a very well-thought out and lengthy letter outlining my experiences," she lied.

Snape raised his eyebrows, his face was grim. He folded his long legs and dropped his white hands into his lap and appeared to relax. "Really? Just where would you have sent such a letter?"

She avoided his direct stare, knowing it would be all too easy for him to use Occlumency on her. "Are we going to start off this way? she asked firmly. "Do you really want to do this? I know you don't like me, Professor. I've already experienced years of muggle-haters; wizards and witches have been treating me like I was a squib since the day I stepped onto Platform 9 and 3/4's. When I was younger I allowed it to have an effect; I allowed you to have an effect on me. Since I used the time-turner and I have witnessed the past and the future I have come to believe in one thing. I have an ambition Professor, it is not to be a good student or seek the approval of everyone around me. It is to protect Harry Potter and keep him alive."

He smirked and started to speak and she quickly stood and glared down at him.

"I tell you this with all sincerity Professor Snape. What keeps the wolves at bay is Harry Potter. He is your salvation. He will never trust or believe in you. If you proceed with your plan to fake Dumbledore's death there will be no one- NO ONE- who will know of your plans. But he will use all of his energies to come after you. You don't have to like him to protect him, for he surely loathes you beyond all measure. " She shook her head in disbelief and continued, "You risk too much. Dumbledore has not shared everything he knows with you. He knows the entire prophecy and he has not told you. But I am aware of it. I'm sure that you have not been completely open with him either. The result will be catastrophic. Your actions will turn loose an abomination. Voldemort will win in the end." She stopped for breath and she watched him closely. She could not read his face.

"You are deluded. Harry Potter is hardly the Chosen One," Snape said derisively.

Hermione felt her own anger erupt and she snarled back, "He did not choose that name, unlike the man who chose to call himself the Half-blood Prince!"

Snape paled and leaned forward as if to reach out and grab her. He stared up and there was a slight twitch near one eye.

She stepped back and grasped the wand in her pocket.

"May I explain something to you?" he asked slowly, teeth clenched, the muscles of his jaw working. He was struggling to control himself.

She studied his face and then nodded.

"Please sit."

She slowly sank back into the chair.

"I wasn't aware that Dumbledore had managed to recover a time-turner. You are right in that he did not share that with me. He also has not shared the entire prophecy to me although I believe I can guess what it says." His dark eyes glittered like black beetles in the light of the lamps. "We had discussed falsifying his death because he was looking desperately for the Horcruxes and had not yet found them all. He needed the time to do that and he felt that it was not as important as staying at Hogwarts. You see the dark lord was urgently seeking them out himself after Lucius Malfoy failed to acquire them at the Department of Mysteries.. When the dark lord was exiled from his body, these objects were scattered and no one knew of their true nature except Dumbledore. The race was on to locate them. With Dumbledore's death, the dark lord would have continued to search for them and possibly lead us to the last of those objects." He watched her and finished, "It is a desperate plan and no doubt will not succeed unless I am loyal to Dumbledore."

Snape continued, "There are many avenues Dumbledore and I have taken in our attempts to stop the dark lord. We have decided that plan should be put into action since he has been unsuccessful in locating the last two Horcruxes. If, as you say, his murder was already taking place in your present and I was summoned to aid him, and you and I met in his office; then something went wrong. I was both in the tower and in his office. How could that be Miss Granger? How could I be in both places unless someone was impersonating me."

"Which means he was really killed," she murmured. "And not by you."

He nodded and folded his hands into a steeple that he pressed to his lips. "Obviously. Our plan for his death was much different then what you describe and this presents us with our first dilemma. Secondly, he was preparing Potter who would later play a very important part in this plan by introducing him to Horace Slughorn."

"You were using Harry as bait!" Hermione exclaimed in anger and shock.

Snape's eyes narrowed. "Miss Granger. There are times when one should set aside virtue in favor of achieving the objective. Mr. Potter has been notorious since the moment of his birth. He has been less vulnerable since that day because of Albus Dumbledore's protections. Dumbledore would not allow his favorite student to be in any more danger than he typically places himself in because of his own arrogance and impulsivity. In other words, your friend and Mr. Weasley and you are nosey and, I might add, reckless. It has gotten in the way on more than one occasion, although Dumbledore has refused to do anything about it."

"I choose to call what we've done bold and courageous," Hermione said hotly. "Harry didn't ask for what has happened to him."

"He tends to stick his nose where it doesn't belong and it generally gets him and others into trouble," Snape argued. "Or worse, dead. Mr. Diggory for instance. There are others..."

"You're blaming him for Sirius' death."

Snape shook his head. "I don't care about Black. He brought on his own end. What I do care about is the fact that he spoiled our plans. We knew that the prophecy could not be taken from the ministry by any other than the person or persons it concerned. We knew he wanted it and we were guarding it night and day. The dark lord would have to go for it himself. When he went for it we calculated it was the chance to show the world and the Ministry that he had, indeed, returned."

"The world is aware that he has returned," she said quietly.

"Oh yes, they are aware of it," Snape hissed. "And the dark lord is also now aware of a great many things, too. This is a dangerous game we play Miss Granger. The winner, as you well know, can changed our world."

Hermione gathered her thoughts and said, "That's all history. You're now aware of the future and what it brings. How has that changed your plans? You still have not told me what happened when you questioned the Black sisters."

Snape pressed his hands to the arms of the chair and gripped it. He spoke, but she was surprised to hear a softness to his words, "Every action we take Miss Granger, whether it be something in our everyday routines, an event that takes place once or rarely, or something extraordinary; it all goes into making up a person's life. They are not singular events in and of themselves for they are interconnected to other events that happen to other people. When you change one thing- just one- you change it all. Using the time-turner was a terrible mistake." He raised a hand when he saw her ready to protest.

"I understand," he said quickly. "It was handy, you were in the middle of a battle and you used it. Dumbledore has had this time-turner for many years, long before they were band for public use. He has used it twice and believe me neither time did he go so far as you have done. There is a legend that tells us that changing even the path that a bee takes on its journey from the flower to the hive can have an impact on the life of every creature and being on the planet. You have done far more than that."

Hermione sat back in the chair and listened.

"We do not know what the results will be," he continued. "Bellatrix Lestrange told me that the plan was to enter the castle while Dumbledore was absent and to steal the time-turner in his office. The cover for that was to have Draco Malfoy attempt to kill Albus. It is foolish to think that Draco, although a bright student, would ever have a chance to do that. There were two cabinets, as you pointed out. One at Borgin and Burkes and one in the Room of Requirement here at Hogwarts. They were to come through and avoid the charms and spells on the school and the Aurors that have been stationed to watch it. They were to steal the time-turner."

Hermione sat back and folded her own hands in her lap.

"Who knows what the original plan was Miss Granger." He rose and strolled to the fireplace. "We are now aware of the remaining Horcruxes and there location. You were very helpful in providing that information. Your information from our future may prove to be very helpful and turn the tide for us. Or it may not. The very fact that you have this knowledge and have given it to me, and I to Dumbledore, has changed the future irrevocably. The very act of standing in this room discussing this is doing the very same thing."

"That may be true Professor Snape and I do understand what you are trying to tell me," She also stood and he turned to study her. "I can do nothing about it. The deed is done."

"Yes, you can," he breathed. "You can, if possible, try not to meddle further. Above all you cannot tell this story to Harry Potter or to anyone else. What takes place... what is to happen in the future..." He stopped and moved closer to her. "Our futures are nothing but a series of discoveries, Miss Granger. There are few true seers in the world. None very accurate in their predictions. That is because there are infinite possibilities in our futures. Every step we take, every choice we make, is the substance, the foundation for what lies before us."

"I am part of that future, Professor," she said softly. "So is Harry Potter. I will not tell you more because of your own warnings. Let me tell you this. If you are truly on our side, you...YOU...must protect him."

"If you are trusting in the prophecy, as Dumbledore seems to be; again I warn you that there are few true seers in the world and Sybil Trelawney is not one of them. They cannot predict the future with accuracy. That is why I have not asked you how you have learned about the Half-blood Prince," he squinted at her. "Nor will I ask. It's time for you to return to your room, Miss Granger. I hope I do not have to give you warning again. I hope that you will take this conversation to heart."

"I hope that you will also take my warning to heart, Professor," she responded. She turned before he could speak and let herself out of the room and sped towards Gryffindor Tower feeling like the wolves were at her back.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six Saboteur

The next day seemed to be the most difficult Hermione had yet to endure. Her first encounter with Snape was in his Defense Against the Dark Art class. She watched with anger and pain as Snape gave Harry detention. It was not totally undeserved and she understood what had prompted Harry to cheek Snape. It was not something that was ever going to change. She knew that Snape deserved her friend's hatred; and even if she grew to trust Snape and believe him innocent of misdeeds, there was nothing that was going to convince Harry otherwise. She hurried to her Arithmancy class and rejoined Ron and Harry in the Gryffindor Common room before proceeding to Potions.

It was there that she decided to change the course of history, even with all the alarms that rang in her own head and Snape's words echoing them. She knew Harry would find the half-blood prince's potion's book and win the Felix Felicis, the good luck potion.

She also knew that she would continue to feel irritation that her own potion had not been as good. That was beside the point, she decided. What concerned her the most was the way things seem to be going in the same direction they had before. Nothing had changed this time round, even though with the time-turner she had done things differently; much differently. It should have automatically changed the course of events, even ones as minor as Snape's treatment of Harry. She felt compelled to choreograph future events. The old woman told her that she would have to even though it was against everything she believed, every rule that governed her life.

She considered her need to follow rules. She was always irrevocably drawn to strictly following rules; something that she had learned early-on from the structured lifestyles of her own loving but intellectually rigid parents. This time she entered the classroom and did two things that she had not done before. She stole a portion of the ingredients from each caldron that Slughorn had set before the class. One held the love potion- the Amortentia; the other, the Polyjuice potion, which she thought might come in very handy without having to take the time to brew it. She took from the cauldron that held the Veritaserum and finally also took a small vial of the Felix Felicis potion. She knew it would not be for herself. If given the chance she would slip it into Harry's drink if and when it became necessary.

If it had been anyone else they might not have carried it off. It was very clear that Slughorn was watching over each cauldron proprietarily. She had never considered ever stealing before and would have abhorred the idea if it had been suggested. Now, she had carefully considered her feelings for Harry, knew in her heart that this was not a temporary condition, knew that her love would grow and that she needed to use everything available to make to protect him. She concealed the small vials away in her robe without any qualms and left the classroom.

She had acquired a great deal of information from the old woman in the Hollow; a person she could not quite acknowledge as her older self. The exception was knowledge about the Half Blood Prince's potion's book. Her older self had gone into detail about the Horcruxes and the necessary means to destroy them; she'd talked about Voldemort and the years of his domination. What the older Hermione had not had time to go into particulars about was the potion's book that Harry would acquire, use and keep tucked away from then on.

There were other details that had also not been discussed and it left her feeling a little lost. Without explicit instructions or information she was left to act on her own knowledge- and impulse. She felt uncomfortable. She rarely ever acted impulsively.

She left the potion's classroom and briefly joined Ron and Harry for dinner and then excused herself early and headed towards the tower that held the divinations classroom and Sybil Trelawney.

-------------------

Hermione climbed the stairs to the tower searching for something in her mind. It was an old muggle saying that she was trying to remember. Something about- A true diplomat is one who can tell someone to go to hell and they believe they are being invited to heaven. _No, _she thought, _that's not quite it. A diplomat is so skilled that they can tell them to go to hell and they think they are in paradise. Nope...no, that's not it either. Oh well, doesn't matter, _she said to herself, _I will just have to swallow my pride and ask for forgiveness. I doubt that I am a diplomat and I doubt I'll be very convincing to Trelawney. But I do need the time-turner and I can only get it in Dumbledore's office. _

She knew that she was going directly against Snape's advice to keep her information secret and to stop meddling. She did remember the definition of saboteur; or as some might say, one who sabotages.. She had memorized the numerous other definitions as well and preferred to think of her next enterprise as not sabotage, but as a diversionism! She steadied herself by reassuring herself that the older Hermione had offered her the best advice. She knew herself and knew that she could right the wrongs that were being done.

The divination classroom had not changed since she had abandoned the subject. The puffy little chairs and small intimate tables still filled the little tower room, each with its own crystal ball draped by a variety of violent colored cloths. She wandered through the tables and stopped to listen in the stuffy silence. Not even the sound of a scurrying mouse or a ticking clock interrupted it. Only her own breathing sounded in her ears.

She moved through a curtained passage and slowly towards the few stairs that hugged the circular room. It led to Trelawney's private quarters above the classroom. She took those slowly while searching the darkened, claustrophobic room. How she hated divination and even mores o the teacher. She balled up her fist and turned to knock on the oak door.

She waited and was about to tap again when she heard the woman's voice. What she had thought about saying as a preemptory statement was- "I'm here to make you even more famous then your grandmother."- and then decided that she would probably find herself sailing down the steps as fast, if not, faster then she had climbed them. Instead, when the woman opened the door and stared at her through those terribly thick glasses with her protruding eyes, Hermione smiled.

"Yes?" Professor Trelawney asked and then recognized her. "Why...why you're the child that left my classroom that day!" The eyes studied her and she opened the door a tinsy bit wider. "I do hope where I have given offense there is forgiveness, my dear? What brings you to my door at this hour?"

Hermione wanted with all of her heart to ask the woman to find out the answer by staring into her crystal ball, but again bit her lip and said with as much trepidation in her voice as she could muster, "I've come to seek your advice. I need your help and it is I who should ask for forgiveness for ever doubting your...gifts."

"You're the girl who is a friend to our Harry Potter," Trelawney said with enthusiasm. Without waiting for a response she ushered Hermione into the room, where, if it were possible, the space was even more limited and filled with every imaginable eccentric bauble of the divination world. Shelves were lined with crystal balls and paraphernalia. Tables were piled high and the atmosphere was heated by a roaring fire which was the only light in the room. The woman guided Hermione through the stacks of parchment and baskets of crystals and trinkets of the trade, to a puffy couch where she was pushed unceremoniously down and into it.

Hermione struggled to sit up and push herself out of the marshmallow softness and face the woman squarely.

"Go on my dear," Trelawney gushed. "I am here to serve. Unlike the steed that tramples the halls below..." Hermione knew she was speaking of Firenze..."I can give you answers that are useful. He gazes into the heavens and is lost, where I can read the stars and the planets and gain useful information. Here let me sort through my cards..." She was already shuffling a rather abused deck of cards that were among many at hand. Her head was bent over them and her hair combs were dropping down allowing her snarled and tangled hair to fall in a mess around her shoulders. She paid no heed to it and was rubbing her nose with one finger and about to lay the deck out on the table before them.

"Wait, Professor," Hermione said and stopped the frantic activity with her hand. "Let me say something first." She searched and rolled each word through her head before giving voice to it. She did not want to offend this woman. "There is no doubt, Professor Trelawney, that you've taught me so much and I was being such dullard that I didn't realize that a great seer such as yourself would have known all about this. I should never have questioned your wisdom. I looked in the glass and saw nothing, when you saw what should have been before us all. What you have tried to show us all for so long..." Hermione let the last drop tantalizingly before the woman.

"Yes, yes, it's alright dear," Trelawney crooned. "We all cannot have such gifts. Even I falter sometimes and misread or do not comprehend. That happens rarely, but..." She stopped and searched the room with the glare of the fire reflecting in her glasses and rolled an empty sherry bottle under her own poof with the heel of her foot. She leaned forward conspiratorially and said, " I did not hold it against you that you could not see. There are many, many fine witches and wizards that have not one speck of such talent in their blood. Why..." she continued and was interrupted by Hermione

"So you know then!" Hermione gasped theatrically. " I should have known that you have seen it already. I'm so glad I came to you first. Then you must help me save them!"

"What, What!" Trelawney gasped. "Tell me? What did I say?" She stopped as if searching her own mind to glean information that might have spilled out unconsciously. "I've been upset lately and I've forgotten..." She was rubbing her temples.

"You need to tell the world, go to the Daily Prophet. I know someone who will listen and write it in the paper! You've got to...tell someone," Hermione clasped her hands together and frowned in her most worried and Lavender Brown-like manner, raising her voice to an almost lilting pathetic whimper. "You knew what was going to happen and no one would listen. About Dumbledore's death."

"Dum...Dumbledore! Dead!" She said suddenly, looking confused. "I foretold his death? No...No...I said Harry Potter would die, not Dumbledore...but, yet..." She shook her head again and then nodded. "Yes, I saw it in the cards; destruction, ruin, the white tower...but it was all so confusing."

Hermione waited for a moment and saw the woman mulling over her words. She knew that Trelawney would automatically accept the notion that the thoughts had been her own.

"Daily Prophet?" Trelawney mumbled and pawing at her hair that had caught in her beads and shawl. She was staring off into the distance and holding her cards to her chest with the other hand. "I don't know... the Daily Prophet! Is that wise?"

"Yes, we have to tell someone there will be an assassination attempt. Dumbledore is in danger!" Hermione knew she was disrupting Snape and Dumbledore's plans, it was her intent.

"I've written to them many times," Trelawney said quietly. "They just ignore my letters. Perhaps it would be best to go to Albus and explain..." she studied her hand holding the cards, "although it rarely does any good. He's very kind about it really, but I don't think he believes me." She glanced up and seemed to notice Hermione watching her. "Oh, well you see," she began more firmly, "he is a busy man. I have outlined my predictions and at his suggestion, I send them to him once a week in a letter."

Hermione almost smiled and caught herself. She had predicted, with more accuracy then the Divination teacher, how the she would react. "Perhaps it's time to take this to the Minister," she encouraged.

Trelawney had a knee-jerk reaction to her words. She jumped back in shock and put a hand over her mouth as if to stifle a scream. Her eyes grew wide behind the thick lens and she looked shocked. If nothing else Hermione wanted to give her a hand of applause for her feigned melodrama. "Oh, I don't know," Trelawney mewed. "He is such a private man, Dumbledore is. Scrimgeour would insist on having him guarded day and night. He will hound him relentlessly if he knows that he is in danger. That is to say if Rufus even believes me. There is no proof. Not in my business. How can one offer proof?"

"Well Professor, I was drinking my tea the other evening and was just absentmindedly staring into the bottom of my cup when I noticed this strange formation. I remembered that I still had your book and I searched through it. Now I am definitely an amateur at reading the tea leaves, so I thought I should seek your advice about it."

"What did it look like? What did you see girl!" she leaned forward.

Hermione met her dead center before the blazing fire and whispered, "I think that someone inside Hogwarts is helping the Dark Lord. I think it's a student. I'm only guessing but it makes sense Professor Everyone knows that Draco Malfoy's father is a Death Eater. He's in prison."

"You were at the Ministry," Trelawney exclaimed. "You and Mr. Potter and several others. I read about it in the Daily Prophet at the end of last term."

"Yes, and Mr. Malfoy was arrested along with several others who were there. They were trying to steal a prophecy," Hermione said, nodding dramatically. "But his son is still here at Hogwarts. I would guess that Draco would like to get revenge. Professor Dumbledore was the one who put his father in Azkaban. He has the perfect opportunity to carry on what his father could not hope to do. That's why so many Slytherins are still here at Hogwarts."

"Oh, I don't know," Trelawney repeated. She looked around the room again as if checking out the shadows. "That is a serious accusation to make. Draco Malfoy is just a boy. The sign in the tea leaves could mean many things; often the meaning is veiled."

"The Ministry should at least be watching Draco, assigning an Auror to watch him," Hermione said chiding herself for bringing up the subject too soon. She needed to lead the woman in the direction she wanted her too take, not shove her headlong. "You're right Professor. I'm not talented at all in these 'arts'. It was but a guess, I was just putting two- and-two together. Perhaps I really didn't read the true meaning. " She sat back and let the fluffy couch fold around her like silken doughy arms. "But if Draco has taken his father's place then there is one way to prove it."

"There is?"

Hermione folded her hands in her lap and looked puzzled. "I've heard that the dark lord's Death Eaters carry a mark on them. I suppose if the Minster wanted proof he could just have someone check that out."

Trelawney launched herself to her feet and paced the room. There was little open space but she managed to scurry about, touching objects as she moved as if reassuring herself of her power. "Yes, that's true. They are suppose to have some kind of mark on them. Of course, if I were wrong... the Malfoy family is a very powerful family. One does not accuse them of ill deeds without proof...Dumbledore...Dumbledore would be furious."

Hermione studied the woman, who she knew would remain indecisive, and she knew she would have to push the issue. "You're right of course. I should have known that we couldn't do this out in the open."

"We can't?" The woman looked at her blankly.

"No. We shall have to protect Dumbledore and Harry without their being aware of it. I can watch Harry but I'm afraid it'll be up to you to watch Professor Dumbledore," Hermione said firmly. She was acting as if the woman had suggested it and she was just agreeing. "You're the only one that will know when he's gone from Hogwarts and when he's here. It will be the perfect opportunity for us to reveal the true assassin. I will find a means to disguise myself as Dumbledore and be here when he is gone. If Draco is up to something, then I will catch him at it. You shall have to help me enter Dumbledore's office."

"That's awfully brave of you dear, but that is taking a terrible risk and...and that is invading Albus private study. That just would not be right. I..."

Hermione interrupted again. "Professor, we would be saving is life! Not only that, we shall confirm that all of your predictions have been true! No one will dare speak of you as a fraud ever again. People in the Hogsmeade, at the Leaky Cauldron, will talk about how you knew all along of the plan to send Death Eaters into Hogwarts and kill Dumbledore, how you stood up to the dark lord's servants. The news about my being at the Ministry last year will be nothing compared to what they will say about you."

The woman was frozen in an attitude of listening and was absentmindedly studying the dark crystal ball where her fingertips had lit like a butterfly on a flower. She was not actually staring into the crystal ball but contemplating it along with the other smaller balls and objects on the table.

"Oh Professor, I do so want you to have the chance to clear your name," Hermione pleaded.

"Clear my name?" Trelawney said vacantly. "My name?

"Oh, yes," Hermione said nodding vigorously. "Delores Umbridge has been spreading the rumor far and wide that you are not a seer, that you have no talents..." Hermione stopped and wrinkled her brow in consternation, "It's just been awful, Professor. The things I heard over the summer..." She knew she had the woman when she spoke the words, Delores Umbridge. She went on, "Of course, Miss Umbridge has the ear of the Minister and is a very powerful woman. You were right in not wanting to go to Scrimgeour. He would probably laugh at you or throw you into Azkaban for suggesting that he could not protect Dumbledore." She stopped and let the words soak in.

Trelawney turned to her, lifted her chin and said, "I will not do this for the notoriety. I will do this to protect Dumbledore. He is so selfless that he often does not heed warnings that concern him. Of course, he is a very powerful wizard, but even the most skillful wizard or witch can be a victim. He is so concerned of others he often fails to take personal safeguards."

Hermione was nodding eagerly and pushed herself out of the puffy chair and stood wringing her hands. She waited patiently.

The woman continued, her expression distant and quizzical, "He has been gone throughout the summer on various trips. It has been unlike him to be gone during the school term; and yet, he has also been away at these times as well. He and Professor Snape are often together." She frowned and murmured, "He listens to Severus but not to me! When it is I who understands...who SEES. Snape is but a potion's master...ha! Not even that. Should I dare to say-a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher... as if you can change your profession like you change your robes." Trelawney was rubbing the crystal ball with the palm of her hand almost as if rubbing the top of a bald man's pate. It was clear that she had forgotten Hermione was in the room. "But he must be saved; even if it is against his will."

"Yes, you need to save him," Hermione repeated. "He will thank you later, Professor."

Trelawney sniffed. "No thanks will be required." She turned to Hermione. "I'm so grateful that you have decided to help me in this endeavor Miss...Miss..."

"Granger," Hermione said coldly.

"Yes, yes, m'dear," Trelawney waved her hand at her. "Run along to bed now, dear. I shall call you when the time draws near. Keep your eyes open now. Danger surrounds us all." The woman turned to the crystal ball, pulled up her sleeves, sat down at the table and stared into the crystal completely absorbed.

Hermione turned away and left the room. She shook her head in wonder and made her way down the spiraled staircase and towards Gryffindor tower.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven Lovesick

Harry stood on the Quidditch pitch and evaluated the groups of people trying out for the Gryffindor team. Hermione watched him with growing anxiety in her heart. She wasn't sure how the meeting with Trelawney had gone; it was still very puzzling. She was sure that she had been successful in convincing the teacher that Dumbledore needed protection even against his will and that would stop him from attempting to fake his own death.

She thought she had gotten it across that the two of them together would watch Dumbledore and Malfoy and that Trelawney would help her enter Dumbledore's office when the headmaster was gone, although she wasn't sure that Trelawney had gotten that bit. If she could persuade her to help her then she could search for the time-turner and any other information that might be there. Of all the staff at Hogwarts, she had chosen Trelawney because she was, to Hermione, rather thick and slow in her thinking; and that was saying a lot. Now all that remained was to wait patiently for Dumbledore to leave the castle.

She watched her friend and felt an throbbing ache. There was desire and a strange exhilaration. So much so, that it was all she could do to stay seated and not go down and act the fool. In her heart she wanted to gush and flirt and draw his attention to herself . She didn't know how to navigate this new territory. She had had very warm feelings for Ron before and even thought they might end up a couple. But this...this new experience was both wonderful and frightening and over-powering. Just watching Harry gave her a thrill and made her catch her breath.

In one respect, she still felt that Harry was still her very good friend, that had not changed. On the other hand, she felt like every moment of the day was taken in thinking and dreaming about him, in planning for what she could do to help him, in being near him. And in one part of her mind, she wondered if this was not what it felt like when someone just had a crush. The rational side of her mind was almost embarrassed by the absurdity of the emotion. Even so, the emotional side had take control. The hardest part was keeping her feelings a secret and hidden. Above all, she did not want to reveal how she felt.

Her experience with the past- that none of them had yet to even experience- told her that Harry would fall for Ginny and in the end, dreadfully aware of his own destiny, would part from her. Hermione knew that if she were to reveal her true feelings that she, too, would be abandoned. There was every chance that Harry would still leave her and Ron behind in his quest to kill Voldemort. She knew he would fear for their safety. She also knew from her own talented insight into others that he would long to have his friends with him. And that was what she wanted to exploit.

_Besides_, she told herself as she used a confunding charm on Cormac McLaggen, _he needs Ron and me and if everything goes well I can find and destroy the Horcruxes and weaken Voldemort so much that he'll have a really good chance to kill him._

She regretted with all of her heart what she had to do next.

It was after their visit to Hagrid's where she had once again lied and told them all that the time-turners had all been destroyed that she followed her own plan of action. She waited patiently in the hallways pretending to patrol them until everyone had gone to bed for the night. She had sent a message by owl earlier in the evening to Draco and forged Snape's signature. She hurried down to the dungeon classroom and waited in the dark wishing that she did not have to do what she was about to do. When the older Hermione told her that she would have to do it she had protested. "There has to be another way," she said.

"There is no other way," the old woman explained. "Do you think I have not investigated alternatives. You know that I am you. Do you not trust yourself?"

Hermione looked into the old woman's face and knew that it was no lie. "He'll hate me for this. Harry will hate me and maybe he'll never forgive me. I only hope that it'll all be worthwhile."

"I hope so too," her older self said. "I can't tell you what will happen in the future if you take these steps. He may die anyway," She turned to the road where Harry stood waiting for the younger girl and sighed, "or he may survive; and that is what we both want. I only know Hermione that if you don't do this then the rest will not change, history will not change. Dumbledore will go forward with his plans to fake his own death, Snape will be charged with his murder and Harry will suffer the consequence. He'll believe that he is the only one that can find and destroy the Horcruxes. He'll leave Hogwarts and become a visible target. It was easy to find him at the wedding. Voldemort is no fool. Getting Harry out of the way was one of his first chores in my past and we both know that Harry is naive. He doesn't know his own strengths. He thinks that he cannot do this without Dumbledore. He has no faith in himself. But these are minor problems. He has yet to fully face the dreadful things that truly do haunt him." The younger girl began to protest and the old woman shook her head and went on. "Yes, he's faced Voldemort several times, but he has not fought him. And, he is impulsive. He may try to do that very thing without destroying the Horcruxes first. You know as I do that he often follows his heart instead of his head. You must do what I say and follow my plan!"

"But why does Dumbledore do it?" Hermione complained to her older self. "Why does he even get Harry involved in the first place. He shows him, tells him about it all. It's as if he's goading him on to take on the task of finding the Horcruxes. He knows how dangerous it is. His own hand was terribly injured in the process of destroying the ring. Is that what he wants for Harry?"

The old woman shook her head. "I can't tell you what he has on his mind Hermione. If you change the circumstances then Dumbledore will have to change his plans."

Hermione remembered that moment even as she stood in the dark in the smelly dank dungeon classroom and waited. She heard footsteps and ventured to light her wand. His pale blond head was visible first. He stepped in the classroom without hesitation but his face was averted.

"Yes, Professor," he began and then looked up. He only had a moment before she cast the freezing charm and he stiffened. The look of surprise and disgust were frozen on his face.

There was also a look of mild fear.

"Don't worry Draco, I'm not going to hurt you," she said quickly and caught him as he teetered in place and threatened to fall flat on his face. She leaned him against a wall and then reached in her robe pocket and produced a vial. "I couldn't decide which to give you first; she shook the vial and held her wand light up to it. Then I decided it won't matter because this will take care of the whole problem."

His eyes were fastened involuntarily on the glass tube and small tears glistened in them. he could not move them or blink and she saw the fear in them deepen.

She laid her wand on a nearby table and reached over and held his nose with one hand. His mouth immediately popped open and she pushed his head back so that the liquid would not be wasted running down his chin and then dumped the entire contents in his mouth. She waited for it to have an effect, knowing that she had to be in front of his face. She had to be the first person visible in order for the love portion, the Amortentia, to have an effect.

As soon as his gaze softened and his body relaxed she took her wand and waved it and removed the freezing spell.

"Darling! he gasped and seized her. "I'm so glad you're here and we're alone. I've missed you! I love you!"

He tried to kiss her and she pulled away somewhat frightened by the ferocity of the reaction and the potion's strength. "Yes, yes Draco. I love you too," she murmured, pulling her clothes straighter.

"You do?" he whispered fervently, grabbing her arms and pressing her back against Snape's desk. He leaned in, his mouth was inches away from her own. "Oh, I am so glad! Each minute that passes when you aren't in my presence makes me want to die with longing."

"Right," she said crisply and yanked free, swerving neatly away from him. "Ok, Draco, that goes for me too. Now, I want you to do something for me."

"Anything, if you'll just let me touch your skin, kiss your hand," he reached for her hand and tried to nuzzle it with his lips. He was kneeling and pulling her down and his hands were pawing her clothes once again trying to pull her to him.

She studied the top of his head while he was bent over her hand and frowned. _If only this could be you Harry, _she thought. "Alright Draco, enough!" She pulled her hand free and pushed herself back feeling mildly disgusted. "Come on SWEETHEART," she growled, "on your feet. We have work to do."

"What? What do you ask of me? Anything! I will do your bidding."

"The Daily Prophet said that ministry just did a thorough search of your home. They found nothing of interest but there is something there that your father was hiding for the dark lord," Hermione said. "Or he knows about it and has hidden it."

Draco straightened, his right hand going unconsciously to his left forearm hidden beneath his robes. He frowned, his face gauzy as if in a dream that he couldn't wake from and he turned to her. "Yes," he mumbled, acknowledging her remark.

"Draco, darling," she emphasized the word, "where did your father hide it?"

Draco shook his head slightly and his brow wrinkled even more as if there was a fierce struggle taking place in his brain. He moved to her and reached out to touch her face. She allowed it knowing that he felt compelled by the love potion she had given him and also knew that a stronger force was fighting against his 'love' for her.

"He took it to the dark lord. It is safe now," he shuddered as he answered.

Hermione nodded. It made sense that Voldemort had gathered what Horcruxes he could find and took them home to safety. "Where is the photograph, Draco. Where is the picture of Merope Riddle? Voldemort..." she stopped when she saw him wince. He looked at her and there were tears of pain in his eyes. "The dark lord would keep the picture of his mother nearby. Did he take it to the Riddle mansion?" She was using the information her old self had given her.

The older Hermione had not known the location of all of the Horcruxes. She had only been able to give hints. Hermione remembered the conversation in the garden with the old lady.

"When Tom Riddle was yanked from his body by the force of the rebounded spell and he disappeared, it was left to his Death Eaters to pick up the pieces of their little organization. Without their leader it almost fell apart," the old Hermione said. "Lucius Malfoy was, of course, the most likely candidate for following in Riddle's shoes, but he had to be careful. The Wizengamot was rounding up all Death Eaters and putting them on trial. That was the trial that you saw in Dumbledore's pensieve and told us about Harry." She looked at Harry who nodded.

She continued, "Riddle made Horcruxes out of the Gaunt ring, the one that burned Albus' hand when he destroyed it. He also made one from the Slytherin heirloom, which was the locket that Merope wore in that memory you saw in Dumbledore's pensieve. Then there was the Hufflepuff cup which Hepsidah Smith was murdered for and then Dumbledore thought that Nagini was also a Horcrux. The last one that we know about is the diary that you destroyed." The older Hermione was shaking her head as she spoke." So we have the ring, the locket, the cup, the dairy and the snake. That leaves one and Dumbledore didn't know what the other one was. He was close to finding out...very close in his assumptions. He thought that Riddle was using items from each Hogwarts House to make them. He was not aware of the photograph."

"Photograph?" Harry asked quickly. "What photograph?"

"The one of Riddle's mother," she answered. "Riddle researched his own family history much more thoroughly then Dumbledore could have. The family was very poor and old man Gaunt would never have squandered money on such a thing. When Merope broke free and lived with her husband, Tom Riddle Sr., it was a thing that she desired to have. A photograph was taken. In the few belongings left behind by his mother, and there were very few, he did find a photograph. The fifth Horcrux was made from the photograph."

"Do you know where it is?" the young Hermione asked.

The older one shook her head. "When Riddle came back to power he began a frantic search to find them all again. Malfoy had the diary and several other things that he saved when his master disappeared. The Black family was also very close to Riddle and Sirius' parents were staunch supporters of Voldemort. It is surmised that some of the objects might be secreted in the Black house."

"We've been in the house," Harry protested. "We've cleaned it."

The old woman nodded, "I am aware of it, Harry. In my time, I also helped in cleaning that house. What we could not have known or didn't think about was Kreacher. He was stealing and hiding what he thought of as precious Black heirlooms. Then there was Mundungus. You even caught him stealing the Black silver that day in Hogsmeade, remember?"

Harry and Hermione both nodded. "How could I forget? That was the day that Katie Bell was bewitched by the opal necklace."

"There were many things that were removed from that house. Sirius hated it so much that he wouldn't go into some parts of it at all. There were rooms that both of you never saw."

"So the photograph was there?" Hermione asked her older self.

"I believe it was and that someone, probably Mundungus, found it and delivered it to Voldemort."

"So that's it?" Harry asked.

"No, not quite." The old woman sipped at her tea and placed a hand over her chest, patting it and taking short little gasps of breath. "Dumbledore made a mistake. Nagini was not a Horcrux. Riddle had made a Horcrux out of a Hufflepuff object, a Slytherin object and one out of a Ravenclaw or Gryffindor object. Dumbledore had been right about that. He just never did find out what those objects were. The night that he died..." she glanced at Harry, "the Death Eaters were in the castle for one sole reason and it wasn't to kill Albus, it was to retrieve one of the Horcruxes. Dumbledore had found it and had not discovered a way to destroy it. After all, his actions towards the Gaunt ring almost cost him his life."

"What were they after?" Hermione asked breathlessly. "The Sorting Hat or the Gryffindor sword?"

"Let's look at this again. Riddle used the Gaunt ring, the locket which was Slytherin, the Hufflepuff cup, the diary, the photograph and there was one left. It could have been from Ravenclaw house or Gryffindor house. Which do you think he chose?"

"Gryffindor!" Harry and the young Hermione said together.

The old woman nodded. "Something that belonged to a Gryffindor. It was not the Sorting Hat, although that was the most obvious choice. The hat was always in Albus' possession and therefore protected. it had to be something that Riddle could get hold of."

"What then?" Harry asked.

"It belonged to the Black family, originally owned by Sirius, who was a Gryffindor," the old woman said.

"Do you know what it is?" the young Hermione asked frowning. She was studying the old woman.

They waited patiently and then the older Hermione shook her head and set her glass down. "No, I never found out. It had something to do with...Regulus, Sirius' brother. He was the one I think swapped out the locket that you found in the cave Harry and he was the one that left the message you found. I believe that Regulus died destroying the locket. When I investigated the whole issue it was clear that no one knew what had actually happened to Regulus. Everyone believed Voldemort killed him for switching sides."

"So it is something that belonged to Sirius," Harry said quietly. His green eyes narrowed as he sat thinking. Both Hermiones watched him.

The older Hermione spoke first. "Regulus had access to everything that Sirius left behind when he left the Black household at seventeen. If Riddle wanted something from Gryffindor he could have easily gotten Regulus to take it. Once made into a Horcrux then Riddle would have been satisfied to return it to the Black mansion where Mr. and Mrs. Black would have bent over backwards to protect and hide it. There is where, I think, it has remained all of these years."

"What do you think it is?" Harry asked.

The old woman studied him for a moment and said, "During my time after Voldemort had risen to power people began to go missing. One of them was Ollivander from Ollivander's wands."

"Maybe he's kidnapped Ollivander to make Voldemort a new wand. Harry's didn't work right when he used it in the cemetery against Voldemort," the young Hermione said quickly.

The old woman looked at her and smiled. "That's what everyone thought."

"A Gryffindor wand...THE Gryffindor wand!" Harry exclaimed suddenly.

The old woman beamed at him and said, "It would be of great value and it would be a wonderfully magical object to have; even better to make Horcrux out of and it would be something that your parent's would have ready access to."

Harry's face fell and he whispered, "He was after the wand, not me. He killed them to make the Horcrux."

The old woman nodded sadly, her own face reflecting is own. "I think so, Harry."

The next day following her conversation with Draco, Hermione sat a little further down the table from Ron and Harry and ate her breakfast. She was numb from lack of sleep and flinching each time she felt a nudge and another Slytherin handed her a hand-written love note from Draco. She had warned him to not approach her or talk about her to his friends and yet she knew that the love potion was the strongest in the world and that no amount of persuasion was going to stop his advances until the effects wore off.

She glanced down the table and noticed Ron's angry face. She also noticed Harry's worried expression and his usual habit of ducking his head down and not looking at her directly.

It wasn't until the hall had almost cleared and she was almost late for class that she folded the Daily Prophet and gathered her books. Ron had already left the table and Harry was sitting alone. He turned and slipped off the bench and walked to her.

"So are you going to tell me?" he said.

"Tell you? Tell you what Harry?" she asked.

He lowered his head and whispered, "What Draco's doing? He's been watching every move you made this morning and he's got people sending you messages. He looks like...well he looks like he's sick or something. What's he on about? What's he saying in those notes?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Harry," she said crisply.

"He is being a nasty git? If he is..." Harry stopped.

She stopped and turned to confront him holding an armload of books in front of her. "It's nothing, Harry. Really. I can take care of this."

"You're...not upset. You like it," he said and stepped closer examining her face. "Isn't that taking things a bit far, Hermione? I know you believe that the Houses should be more united...but Draco! One minute you're punching him in the face and the next you're getting notes from him? Are they..." he swallowed hard and squinted, "love notes? From Malfoy?" He glanced at the Slytherin table that was now empty and then back to her.

She felt her heart speed up and her mouth become dry. He was so close. She knew that what he was seeing in her face was her feelings about him, not about the Slytherin he hated. She took a breath and said, "You're seeing something that isn't there."

"Really!" he countered. "So tell me what's in the messages he's been sending over."

She pushed the folded parchments deeper into her bag with one hand and turned away. She wanted, desperately wanted, to tell him everything and knew that she couldn't. She walked away instead and knew that she left him with confusion and worry.

After an entire day of avoiding he and Ron, Hermione skipped supper and headed down the path that led to the gates of Hogwarts. It was only there that she could apparate outside theincantations and spells that protected the school.

She was met in the shade and shadows, as night drew, near by a spectral figure dressed all in black.

"Miss Granger," the deep voice spoke from the dark. "What are you doing out here?'

"I am free to come and go as I please," she said flatly. "Seventh yearscan leave the grounds if they choose."

"I hear things Miss Granger," Snape said moving closer. "And even though I am not aware of your actions every moment of the day, I believe that you have ignored my warnings and have persisted in meddling into things that are none of your business." He stepped closer and she could see his face in the dim light. He was looking down at her with his piercing black eyes.

She remained silent and stared back.

"For instance, Mr. Malfoy..." he began.

"I'm in a hurry Professor," she said crossing him. I have someone I must meet and I don't want to be late!" She stepped over the boundaries of the school border and without looking back took a step and disapparated leaving Snape staring angrily at the spot.

He spun on his heels and headed back to the castle with his robes billowing behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight Lupin

The street of Knockturn Alley was not a fit place for man or beast and yet Hermione stood in the shadows just outside a street lamp and surveyed the shop across from her. It was dimly lit by an interior lamp and the sign above the door that swung minutely in a small breeze squeaked out a protest. She glanced up, barely able to distinguish the lettering on it and then looking both ways she stepped across ,walking softly on t he cobblestone and entered.

There was no merry tinkling chime from a hidden door bell to announce her entrance to the proprietor. She was aware that they knew she was there. There were several figures in the small shop. It looked somewhat like an ordinary book shop, with the musty smell of ancient volumes that lined and covered every surface. However, the atmosphere was different. Oh it was quiet. It was as quiet as the grave. Hermione had been in a number of bookshops in her life and was not surprised that no one spoke. People often treated a bookstore much like they would a library and politeness dictated respectful silence.

She was sure however, that it was not the case in this bookstore. The proprietor stood at a tall lectern desk piled high with parchments that easily could have been there since the dawn of time. Dust covered almost everything and glass cabinets used as store counters were almost opaque with it. She walked in as confidently as she could and directly up to the man at the tall desk. Several other rather strange wizards and witches stood in the gloomy tunnels between bookcases. They stepped back out of what light there was and seemed to almost disappear.

Hermione had not been stupid. She had brought along her traveling cloak and had donned it prior to stepping into Knockturn Alley. The hood of it was now pull over her head and covered her face. It dropped to the floor and so no one would have been able to identify her or described her other than that she was a witch.

She approached the rather vile looking man who had a very long nose with a bump in it. The nose sat on a long thin face that looked almost looked skeletal. He looked at her with a ugly sneer when she happened to glance up and he was about to speak when she handed him a slip of parchment that she had written something on. She laid it on the counter and produced another note that was obviously from Gringott's bank. It clearly showed the goblin markings and the banks signature silver logo done in curlicued letters on the top. It was a promissory note that indicated the bearer of the note would receive a thousand galleons.

The long thin fingers stretched out and spun the first paper around with one finger as if the owner was afraid to touch it. Hermione was not looking up but at the two papers she had laid on the glass top. She waited as the man read the first note. It was late in the evening and she wanted to finish her business and be on her way. It was all she could do to not spin around and rush from the shop in terror.

The wizard took in a hissing breath when he read the note and for a moment she thought that she would be thrown out instead of leaving on her own. And the next moment the hand with the unusually long fingers palmed the bank note and a wand touched the other and made it disappear. The man walked away and left her standing alone.

She swallowed hard concentrating on taking slow deep breaths. A patron meandered by her purposefully and she stood her ground when she felt a slight nudge as the person passed. She refused to move and the wizard or witch moved on. She listened with all of her attention for the footfall of the clerk. The room was not completely still. Many of the books were giving off strange stifled sounds and there were some very low volume moans and groans. She stifled a sneeze and then saw the figure of the man return. A book, a very small book, was shoved across the counter to sit just below her bowed head and within her view.

The hand that shoved it remained on it momentarily and covered the title. She did not reach for it until the hand was withdrawn. Then with her own gloved hand she pulled it towards her, sliding it on the glass. She glanced at the title and then picked it up and dropped it into a satchel she carried on her arm. She turned and pulled her long traveling cloak around with her and stepped towards the door.

She stopped when she saw a set of black boots and legs in front of the door. With her head bowed she could not see the person barring her way.

"Madam you are in need of company as you make your way through these streets. Please let me be of assistance. One should not be alone in these dark times." A hand took her arm and the other opened the door and ushered her from the store and into the street. They moved quickly through the winding narrow passage until Hermione saw a brighter light on an adjoining street and they stepped into Diagon Alley. Some of the storefronts were darkened and others were gaily lit even though it was late and there were few shoppers.

Hermione and the wizard that accompanied her did not speak until they moved through the opening in the wall and walked into the Leaky Cauldron. Then the other removed his own cloak and guided her to a table.

"Professor," she began.

"I don't think it's proper to call me that anymore do you, Hermione?" Remus Lupin said quietly. "Why not call me Remus."

She nodded, her head still hooded.

"Now tell me why I have found you in Knockturn Alley and above all why you were at The Nightengale Liberrato bookstore at this time of night? No...let me rephrase that. Why are you in Knockturn Alley at all and not at Hogwarts?"

She glanced up and waited until a steaming cup of tea was placed before her by the innkeeper, Tom and then returned Lupin's grim look. "I think you know why since Professor Snape sent you. Either he did or Professor Dumbledore."

Lupin crossed his arms ignoring his own cup of tea and leaned back. He was looking at her with an unreadable expression and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. He leaned in finally, checked over his shoulder to make sure they weren't overheard and then spoke. "Hermione you have a smart head on those shoulders. So smart that I think people generally just take it for granted that you know what you are doing and that you never make mistakes. But I can assure you, I am not taking you for granted. Against his better judgment Severus told me about the time-turner. Now I know that you are one of Harry's best friends and believe me I do know what friends are willing to do..." he stopped and took a breath. He picked up the cup but did not drink from it. "...believe me I am very aware of the sacrifices friends are willing to make to protect someone they care about. Now, I am here to listen and to help." His tone changed slightly from sternness to a tenderness as he spoke. "And I think that you should consider carefully accepting that help, Hermione. You are in grave danger if you try to carry on alone." His gray eyes searched her face and he reached over and pushed the hood gently back from her head.

She waited and chewed on her lip and studied his face.

"For starters," he said, "tell me what you purchased in that book shop."

She leaned back and glanced around the room feeling many mixed emotions. She was frightened, sad and worried. She also wanted desperately to confide in someone. The short experience in the shop had been unnerving. Finally, and with reluctance, she opened the satchel sitting on the table and produced the small palm-size volume. She pushed it slowly across the table.

Lupin glanced down at the title, his brow furrowing. "_Soul-eaters and Their Progeny." _He looked at her and then at the title. With the tip of a sugar spoon he open the front cover and tipped his head to look at the writing inside. "This is a list of every soul-eater in existence. What?...Why?" he stuttered. "How did you ever come by the information about soul eaters and why on earth would you want a list of surviving soul-eaters?" he asked. "They are the worst, the most despised...wizards and witches." He stopped and pushed the book away from himself with the spoon. "Do you know...KNOW what they do?" he whispered energetically. "It is utterly...the most...dark magic ever used!"

She nodded and pulled the book back across the table and hid it away in the satchel. then she removed her gloves and picked up the cup with shaking hands. It took a minute to compose herself and then she told her story. An hour later she finished and she looked at Lupin who had sat back in his chair and was staring at her wide-eyed. "So you see Remus, Harry is only now just learning about the Horcruxes. Dumbledore is showing him Tom Riddle's history so that they can figure out where they all might be located. Snape and Dumbledore have hatched this plan to fake Dumbledore's death so that the dark Lord..." she whispered under her breath..." will think that Harry is all alone. He'll go for him. The old woman...my older self... told me where the Horcruxes are and how to destroy them. A soul-eater is the only one that can take the soul into themselves and consume it. I just have to gather them together and find one who will do it. Then maybe Harry will have a chance." She was now almost speaking non-stop. "Because...because I think that Dumbledore really will end up dead and then there will be no one that can help Harry."

"Stop...stop...stop," Lupin said and held a hand up and squeezed his eyes closed. "Give me a moment."

She was on the verge of speaking again and immediately clammed up and covered her mouth with a hand as if to make sure words did not slip out again.

He shook his head and studied the table before them. The light glistened preternaturally in the pale gray hairs that were mixed with the fine brown on his head. There was almost a gossamer halo around his head and her eyes were drawn to it as if needing a soft, safe place to light.

"And so you intend on going to Lucius Malfoy's house and searching it?" he said and continued before she could speak. "And then to Grimmauld Place to see if Reggie- Regulus-or one of the Blacks might have secreted one there?" She nodded and he spread his hands wide on the table before them. "Then you find a soul-eater and persuade, or rather pay, for them to destroy them?"

She nodded again.

"So you give Draco a love potion and he takes you home with him so you can search his home, which by the way has been thoroughly searched by Ministry wizards. Then you and he destroy the cabinet in the Room of Requirement so that the Death Eaters can't enter Hogwarts," Remus continued.

She nodded again and felt a slight blush rising to her cheeks. She knew, after hearing him say it all out loud that it sounded insane.

"Anything else on your list of things to do, Hermione?" he asked wit a dead-panned expression on his face.

She shook her head and remained silent.

He waved his wand over their cups and produced instant hot tea and he picked his up first. He sipped it and seemed to savor the taste and then sat it down and folded his hands together. "Firstly, when you used the time-turner and told Snape about the events of the past, you changed the course of history. What would have happened has now changed. IF Voldemort made a Horcrux, or made more than one, then where they are now is impossible to determine. Secondly, if Dumbledore was going to fake his own death he probably won't try it now. If Voldemort set his Death Eaters into the castle to steal the time-turner and Albus is aware of it then he will protect it. I guess what I'm saying is that everything you learned is of no consequence. Everything will have changed." He once again spread out his hands. 'Fundamentally what they say is not really true; history does not repeat itself."

This time she did speak. "You're wrong, Remus. So far nothing has changed. You have to remember that I've already lived through this year. Nothing is different- well almost nothing- and we just can't ignore what the old woman said. If there is a chance to help Harry then I'm willing to risk it!"

Remus' slightly amused expression vanished. "Soul-eaters Hermione! You are looking for a soul-eater. If you care for Harry then think of your own life. He would not want you to risk your life to save his own. Believe me I KNOW!" He was suddenly very grim.

"So what do you suggest?" she asked leaning in. "I know information that no one else knows right now, except you. Shall we do nothing and let events run their course?"

Lupin stared back at her.

"Well?"

"I'm thinking about this," he answered.

"Voldemort will win, Harry will die, Dumbledore will die and so will a lot of others," she was now speaking in a hoarse adamant whisper. "Help me find the Horcruxes. I know what they are and where they are suppose to be. Maybe they are still there. If we find them then we can consider a soul-eater. In the meantime..."

"In the meantime, Hermione let me talk to Dumbledore,' Remus said quickly cutting across her. "Let me just talk to him."

She sat back and felt her frustration grow. She had trusted him; had believed that he respected her ideas. He had shown that he treated his students as equals and had even given Harry lessons. Now she had confided in him and he wanted to go to Dumbledore. She was certain they would stop her or talk her into leaving everything alone. She didn't believe that she could. She didn't trust that time had changed enough for Harry to escape his destiny and to die at Fleur and bill's wedding.

She found herself nodding even as she was saying 'no' in her own head. She was grateful that she had not told him that she intended on stealing the time-turner long before Voldemort sent his Death Eaters through the cabinet in the Room of Requirement and into Hogwarts. She also had not told him about Madam Prince or Slughorn and the parts they played because he was having a hard time believing in everything she had already said. She stood and dropped her napkin onto the table and picked up her cloak. he did the same.

"Remus, I need to get back to Hogwarts. They won't let me through the door if I get back after midnight. When you have talked to Dumbledore will you let me know what he says?" she asked politely.

Lupin nodded. He dropped several knuts on the table and followed her back into the now dark street of Diagon Alley. The store were now closed and only the street lamps cast their light on the cobbled brick and the little shops. Lupin looked around and said, "Hermione promise me that you won't do anything until I contact you."

She turned to him knowing what he would ask of her. She smiled slightly and prepared to disapparate. "Does that mean I shouldn't accept Mr. Malfoy's proposal of marriage?" She turned from him and apparated before he could reply.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine Dumbledore's Confession

Hermione was not surprised when she received a summons to appear in Dumbledore's office. However, it was the weekend, and not just any weekend. It was the weekend, where in her own past, she and Ron and Harry had gone off to Hogsmeade during a snowstorm. It had ended horribly when they had witnessed Katie Bell being cursed by an opal and pearl necklace that had come from Borgin and Burkes shop in Knockturn Alley.

It was only now that she understood the significance of the necklace. The delivery of the necklace to the school was really intended to kill Dumbledore as Harry had surmised once before, but it was also had another purpose. The trick of getting it into the school was done out in the open and under everyone's nose. Voldemort was counting on that and had succeeded with his very clever plan.

The school had been shielded by defensive spells and Filch had used uncustomary diligence to make sure nothing was brought in that shouldn't have been. Hermione now knew that if Katie Bell had tried to sneak the necklace into the castle she would have been found out immediately and the necklace delivered to a teacher. As it was, she had been imperioused and because of her 'accident', Harry had been the one to carry it in wrapped in his own cloak. Either way, it was discovered as it was intended to be and delivered to Snape, that much Hermione knew. Whether delivered by Katie Bell's hand or by someone else's hand, the sole purpose was to get it into the school either hidden or in plain view and that had actually happened-in her past.

Snape was under orders by the dark lord to deliver it into Dumbledore's hands, specifically in order to kill him dead; and not just kill him, but to kill him horribly. Once again Snape would be accused of the deed. Voldemort wanted Snape to be a scapegoat, had engineered the whole event for that purpose. He was also aware that Dumbledore was probably wise enough to figure out that it was an assassination attempt and thwart it. Hermione struggled to understand what had really transpired and what would happen once again. She decided that the only true explanation was that the dark lord had wanted to test Snape's loyalty. If the assassination attempt succeeded and Dumbledore actually died then that was all to the good. If he didn't then he would not trust Snape. Either way Snape would be placed in a bad position. So much so that carrying out Dumbledore's plans to fake his own death was almost a necessity now. She was thinking of that when she entered her headmaster's office and still could not make up her mind about it. _Why is Voldemort testing Snape's loyalty now? _she questioned silently. _Maybe he's found him out. Maybe he realizes that Snape is really Dumbledore's spy. _Something she supposed that could happen at any time.

S he sat across from Dumbledore's desk feeling slightly uncomfortable about Snape and Lupin's presence. The series of events concerning the necklace had not yet occurred . She was looking at Snape who returned her stare without any outward expression. She was thinking about the necklace and the trip to Hogsmeade even as she listened to Dumbledore. She wondered if she should tell him or keep silent and decided that her task was to protect Harry not Dumbledore or Snape. She forgot all about the necklace as she listened.

"Miss Granger I can understand your desire to help Harry," Dumbledore was saying in a very gentle voice. Lupin stood facing the bookshelf his hands folded in front of him. It was obvious to Hermione that he was listening and not reading the titles of the volumes on the shelves.

Dumbledore stood and walked around his desk slowly to face her again. The light from the few lamps scattered about the room illuminated his face and kept the others in shadow. "We are all here because we want to help Harry."

"If that's true Professor," she said quickly, "why are you showing him these memories? He will learn about the Horcruxes and then later it will force him to hunt for them and destroy them. Not that that ever happens. In my past, you both die before that task is complete." She looked down at the carpeted floor and then over to Snape.

Dumbledore held out a hand as if to stop her and closed his eyes. "Please." She turned to him. "Let's, for a moment, not speak of the past that you have made us aware of. Let us speak only of this." He held out his fist in front of her face and let a gold chain drop from it. On the end was the time-turner. She heard Lupin gasp behind her. Dumbledore held it up between the two of them. "I have used this twice in my life and only for very short periods of time. I have spent over twenty years watching events unfold that I put into action when I used it. Can you imagine Miss Granger? I have gone back in time and spent the sum total of an hour in the past and changed what I thought of as very minor events only to find out that it resulted in cataclysmic changes in my future...in everyone's future? There have been moments that I cursed myself for ever having used it and then there are moments that I have been terribly grateful that I had it to use." He smiled slightly still looking at her and not the jewel. "I can't even begin to imagine what will transpire in the future as the result of your expeditions."

She began to protest and he held up his hand and continued, "Let me continue please. I am not her to chide or even to punish you. I am here to tell you a story so that you may better understand."

She waited.

"Miss Granger," he said and laid it on the desk so that she could see it. "All of us have had moments in our lives that have been unpleasant. I want to ask you a question. Is there such a moment in your life when you would use this to change what has happened to you?"

She thought about it and studied the time-turner, this time ignoring Snape and Lupin's presence. She finally shook her head and said, "No, Professor, there has never been a time when I would have used it to change something in my life."

"Surely, there was some event," he mused. "I am aware that you have struggled as many muggle-born have when they first enter this world. You have all been abused in some way by insensitive wizards and witches. Is there not a moment, an hour, a day, that you would not change some event or do something differently?"

Hermione thought long and hard about it and the minutes ticked by on the mantle clock. Fawkes slept on his perch and Lupin prowled the circular room in silence. Snape did not move and Dumbledore remained quiet as she pondered the question and stared at the time-turner. She once again shook her head and did not speak.

"And yet, you would use the time-turner...did use it, breaking all the rules, so that you could save Harry's life?" Dumbledore asked.

She nodded once knowing that he already had the answer to his question.

"And I did the very same thing," Dumbledore said quietly." I went back in time thinking that I would save Harry...save us all. Like you, I would never consider using it for my own purposes, but I thought nothing of using it to help another."

She looked at him with astonishment and her mouth gaped open. She remained silent.

He stared at her his eyes now piercing and he leaned over. "How many times should we bring him back from the dead Miss Granger?" He raised a hand and stopped her from speaking. "I give no excuse or reason for my actions. I am here to tell you my story so that you will understand completely what it means to use this." He leaned back once again, his hand resting on the jewel. "Professor Snape was the one who overheard the prophecy in the Hogshead Inn the evening that I went to visit Sybil Trelawney to interview her for the position of Divinations teacher. He was the one who gave that information to Peter Pettigrew."

Hermione gasped and she heard Lupin do the same. He had made a full circle of the room and had stopped just behind her.

Dumbledore did not look at the man dressed in black who continued to sit quietly nearby. "Everyone has assumed that he gave the information he'd overheard to Voldemort. That was not the case. Tom Riddle, who called himself Voldemort, was a loner. He did not trust others and always, always kept information about himself, about his plans, about almost everything, a complete secret. He desired and needed complete autonomy and did not want 'partners' or associates to understand or get to know him. Even his closest followers, men like Malfoy, do not truly know what is in his mind. His primary goal is to manipulate and control people, and to manipulate information. That is what gives him power. As a result, Severus was not aware that Pettigrew was in his service. Severus told Peter what he had overheard so that Peter could warn the Potters that Voldemort would search for them."

Hermione's eyes grew wide. _So that was what happened_, she thought. _Snape hadn't betrayed the Potter's directly. He had wanted to warn them. _"I...I...don't believe it!" she said weakly."

Snape rose to his feet but remained silent.

Dumbledore looked at him and squinted and then turned his gaze back to her. "James Potter saved Severus' life at great risk to himself. And although Professor Snape did not like him, in fact felt great hatred towards him, Severus felt obligated to repay the debt. He told Peter Pettigrew about the prophecy...what he had heard...and thought that Pettigrew would warn the Potters."

Again Hermione stared at her newly appointed Defense Against the Dark Art teacher and tried to read his expression. _Why is he telling me this and not you? _she thought. She did not voice her question but heard Remus ask instead.

"And this is why you trust Severus, Dumbledore, because he told you this?" Remus asked. Snape glared at him briefly. Hermione could not see the other's expression since he continued to stand at her back.

Dumbledore pushed himself away from the desk and looked down at Hermione pulling the gold chain with the time-turner on it from the desk and dangling it again "I went back in time, Remus. I used the time-turner thinking that I could correct a mistake that I made."

He stared over her head to the man behind her. "Let me explain. I believed as you did that Severus was guilty of siding with Voldemort. He wore the dark mark; his mark. He was involved in using the dark magic and I was informed that he was doing Voldemort's bidding. I was led to believe that Sirius was the secret-keeper for the Potters and that he betrayed them and was guilty of murdering all of those muggles in his attempt to kill Pettigrew. I also thought Peter was loyal to the Potters. I believed it all Remus, just as you and others have done. And yes, I let Sirius sit in Azkaban for twelve years because I thought him guilty."

He shook his head and swung the time-turner lazily back and forth before there eyes. "I formed the Order of the Phoenix to fight Riddle. I was too late to save many lives including James and Lily Potters. I let it go to far." His eyes studied the jewel and he continued, "I also made another mistake, one that I was not even aware of until much later. I let Tom Riddle live to become the most feared and powerful wizard of our time. I did not know that he had divided his soul and deposited the pieces into six receptacles. It was only after Harry faced him for the first time when he was attempting to steal the Sorcerer's stone that I became aware that he had not died."

Hermione had remained silent throughout the speech and she cleared her throat. It broke his hypnotic gaze. His eyes met her own. "You went back in time. What did you do Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled wanly and answered, "I thought I had killed Riddle. I returned to the past moments after Lily Potter blocked Voldemort's attempts to reach Harry and he killed her. I arrived moments after she died and just before Voldemort attempted to use the child to make a Horcrux, although I was not aware at the time that he intended to do that. He was in the middle of transferring his soul into the infant. I'm afraid my actions to prevent it left a scar on Harry's forehead. I went back in time to stop Voldemort from making a Horcrux of Harry. In my past, Harry was not the Harry we know today."

There was a rush of sound as they all gasped in unison. It was clear that this was the first time Dumbledore had made this confession to anyone.

"It was you!' Lupin gasped.

"That's why Harry can speak parseltongue," Hermione said in a whisper.

"Yes, very astute of you to see that," Dumbledore said, nodding. "Voldemort had almost succeeded in his endeavor when I arrived and there was something...not quite a piece of his soul that was transferred...perhaps a shadow of it." He shook his head at her expression of horror. "Do not be alarmed Miss Granger. Harry is not a Horcrux."

Hermione shivered and ventured another question, "That's when you learned that Professor Snape tried to warn the Potters?"

Dumbledore nodded. "He learned of Peter's betrayal and arrived shortly after I did. He, unlike myself, later believed that more then a portion of Voldemort's soul was transferred to Harry Potter." This time the older man looked over to the other.

"That's why you dislike Harry!" Hermione whispered and also turned to Snape.

Remus interrupted, "What did you do the other time you used the time-turner, Albus."

Dumbledore looked up. "Ah, yes. Very well." He moved to a comfortable chair near his fireplace and sat down in it. He rubbed his mouth and stared into the fireplace that was cold and dark. It was an autumn evening and not yet cold enough for a fire. He continued, "I visited the orphanage to interview Tom when he was only eleven years old. I watched him through his school years and grew ever more uncomfortable and alarmed with what I saw growing in him. I felt ...no, I knew, that he was dangerous even at the age of seventeen."

"I began my study of him then. Off and on through the years he would disappear and I could not trace him or find him. Then, suddenly he would reappear. Horrible events would also coincide with his reappearance; events such as unexpected and horrible deaths, disappearances and so on. They would always occur near Tom but he could never be held accountable, they could not be traced to him. No, he was very clever. I cannot imagine how many people have been sent to Azkaban because of his misdeeds; but there have been a few. I think that he was honing his skills, learning the dark arts and controlling people with the Unforgivable Curses through those years. I began to interview people involved in those events; survivors. I also began to delve into his history and that of his parents." Dumbledore gazed at them. Snape had returned to his chair and Lupin had pulled another close to Hermione and sat down. "As members of the Order you are aware of some of the work." He glanced at Remus and Snape. "But I, like Riddle, have not shared most of it with anyone. I took it upon myself to investigate. However, I learned very little."

"It was only after the Chamber of Secrets was opened, Harry killed the basilisk and brought me the diary that I fully realized what Tom Riddle had done. I have been diligent in my inquiries as Miss Granger is aware. I have located and destroyed one Horcrux." He held up his blackened hand. " I assumed that there were six altogether and learned of the cup, the ring and the locket. I am assuming that the snake, Nagini is another, I could be wrong on that account. I have only recently learned of the photograph."

Hermione nodded, "It was the wand, Gryffindor's wand, that he was after. Sirius had it and I think the Potter were hiding it for him. He asked them for it and tried to buy it from them but they refused. They refused three times. It wasn't the snake."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows and nodded slowly. "Yes, that makes sense."

"Albus," Lupin said. "You haven't said how you used the time-turner the second time."

Dumbledore was still looking at her and there was a full minute before he spoke again. "I too, went into the future Miss Granger. I made a little trip to see someone. A person you are very familiar with. She lives at Godric's Hollow."

Hermione rose to her feet without being conscious of it, walked slowly towards him.

"She had some interesting things to tell me," he said and smiled. "I am not condoning your use of the time-turner Miss Granger. On the contrary, because of my interference and my ignorance, Harry Potter is what he is today and faces a formidable dark wizard. That is something I dearly regret but I would have regretted it more if he had not returned. Perhaps I shall also live to regret my decision to visit you when you have become an old woman living at Godric's Hollow. I saw our history and suffering written in your face Miss Granger and I cannot stop until I rid the world of Tom Riddle or I and the world will be forever be haunted by my failures."

"If you hadn't gone back to try and stop the Potter's deaths then he would have made Harry into a Horcrux." She stopped before him. "I can't fault you for that."

Lupin was suddenly at her side and they were both looking down into the serene face before them.

"What did you do Albus?" Lupin asked gently.

Dumbledore smiled and said lightly, "Not to worry. We never spoke, Remus. I observed her and she was not aware of it. I thought I was going to stop the older Hermione from revealing her history to this Hermione. I thought I could persuade her that it would make things worse. And yes, Remus, I understand fully that my time-trip to the future might have an impact on what happens now. Perhaps no more or less then what Miss Granger has accomplished in her foray with it. It cannot be helped; it is done. By the way Miss Granger, she had a very nice dog as a companion." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled for a moment when he glanced her way and then grew somber. "Now shall we discuss what we are going to do? Your idea about a soul-eater Miss Granger is imaginative but very dangerous I'm afraid."

Hermione glanced at Lupin and then at Snape. She had been caught off guard by the information Dumbledore had given them. "That is what my older self recommended. She said that she had spent fifty years researching it and it was the only way."

Dumbledore nodded and Snape rose rapidly to his feet. "Headmaster!" It was the first words he had spoken the whole evening.

They all turned to him. It was Hermione who spoke first. "It is a chance to prove your trustworthiness Professor Snape. I am aware of a plot that is in the works, even as we speak, to kill Professor Dumbledore and you are involved. If you are still loyal to this cause then you will help us find a soul eater to destroy the remaining Horcruxes."

"Wait a minute! Who said that you would be involved?" Lupin growled. "Albus, Hermione is too young for this and it is too dangerous. Now that we are aware of the Horcruxes and Voldemort's plans we can find these Horcruxes and think of a way to destroy them. You won't have to do this alone and we can protect Harry."

Snape stepped forward. "Every word she speaks puts us all in danger."

"What would you have us do Snape, kill her!" Lupin turned on him. "At least we can be prepared. It's too late to change what has happened and she might just be able to prevent a catastrophe."

Dumbledore rose and put his hand lightly on Hermione's shoulder. "I agree with Remus, Severus. We will let her be an advisor. She will be safe here at Hogwarts and I believe that she is quite capable of doing the job satisfactorily. As long as you keep nothing from us," he said to her directly, " I will make you a member of the Order and that will protect you as well." He squeezed her shoulder. "However, the less you tell us the better. If we are erring badly then I suggest that you come to me. In the meantime, Remus, send Tonks to Number twelve Grimmauld Place and have it thoroughly searched. Give her only details about the photograph and wand and tell her nothing else. Make sure that no one touches anything with their bare skin." His eyes roved to the photograph that hung on the wall above their heads. "Phineas Nigellus Black will supervise."

There was a sudden rustling noise and the three others looked up. Hermione was surprised to discover that every portrait in the room was active, their inhabitants had been listening all along.

"Severus." Dumbledore turned to the man. "I know that this displeases you. I say again, what is done is done. I do ask that you look into this attempt on my life."

"But Professor!" Hermione protested. She was looking directly at Snape and saw a slight narrowing of his eyes.

"It will be alright, Hermione," Lupin said.

"It's time you go to bed, Miss Granger," Dumbledore said, kindly. "I will send you a note when we have more information and I will perform the ceremony to make you a member of the Order when I am more fully prepared. Now, I advise you to keep our meeting to yourself and to leave this in my hands. I also don't think that telling Harry that he was a Horcrux in a different time would do him much good. Do you?"

She was shaking her head even as she was being ushered to the door. She glanced back in frustration to look at Lupin and Snape. It was the evening before her trip to Hogsmeade with Harry and Ron. She was unsure about whether to tell Dumbledore about the necklace and she had been put off in pursuing the issue of the soul-eater. She found herself outside the large oak doors and on her way down the moving staircase before she could make up her mind what to do.

"Just what did that accomplish!" she asked herself in frustration as she destroyed a statute in anger on her way to the Gryffindor Common rooms.

Harry was waiting for her when she arrived. He was alone. He stood when she entered and stopped her as she said a hasty good night and tried to step past him to head for her dorm room.

"Hermione!" he breathed.

She felt his hand on her arm and she stopped.

"Are you angry with me?" he asked shyly.

She turned to him_. So close_, she thought. _We are so close. _Her heart beat a galloping cadence in her chest. "No, of course not, Harry. I'm just worn out. That's all, just tired.."

"I know what you're doing? he said and pulled her towards a couch in front of the common room fireplace.

"You do?" she gasped. Her mind was still partly in the tower room with Dumbledore, Snape and Lupin.

He nodded. "I know that you've worried about it too. I thought that when or...if you and Ron got together...you know, as a couple that I would feel left out. I worried even more that if you broke up then we all couldn't be friends anymore." He was speaking rapidly as if he had rehearsed what he wanted to say. He continued, "Hermione I don't want us to stop being friends. Actually you and Ron are more then friends to me." He gulped and stopped.

"It's alright Harry," she murmured. "I understand." She really wasn't sure that she did but saw that it was costing him to speak his feelings.

"No, no I want to tell you," he said hastily. "I think of you as my family. Both of you. Since I lost Sirius I've felt like I..." he dropped his eyes to the carpeted floor, "I felt lost. I know that I have a lot to face and I know that I can do a better job of it if you and Ron are there for me. Not necessarily there you know!" His green eyes shot up and he looked embarassed. "I don't necessarily want you with me."

She reached over to comfort him and placed a hand on his arm. He reached for it like a drowning man. Without fully realizing it she had leaned in and folded her arms around his neck. He pulled her close in an embrace. They had done this before. It was a friend holding a friend. And yet, when she felt his arms around her she also felt a rush of tears rising to her eyes and she pulled back quickly.

He studied the pearl-size drops glittering in her eyes. "Hermione what is it? Where were you tonight anyway?"

She was relieved to discover that he did not know, could not know her feelings. She smiled a little and wiped away the tears with the sleeve of her robe. "I was in detention with Snape, Harry."

He frowned and coughed out a little laugh. "Snape? Detention? You? Your head girl!"

She laughed with him and patted his hand. "I cheeked him in the hallway and he gave me detention. It's alright. I'm just a little over wrought tonight. Don't worry Harry...about Ron and me."

"Are you staying away from us because you were thinking the same thing?" he asked. "You know you don't have to. It would make it harder but if you to couldn't get along it wouldn't mean that we couldn't be friends. You know how Ron is. He'd get over it after awhile."

Hermione gazed at him and felt the tears returning. She wanted to tell him. It was a perfect moment. They were alone and together. She could do it she knew; tell him that she loved him and not Ron and that it was a life-long love. But she also knew that to do it might destroy any trust they had together and most certainly would send him away from her because she knew he didn't feel the same way. _Hadn't he just confessed that he needed her? _she asked herself. _He doesn't need a girlfriend Hermione, he needs a friend._

"That's right Harry. You're right. I've been worried about it a bit." She nodded and wiped at her face again.

He smiled a beautiful tender smile of understanding and she quickly got to her feet.

"I'll handle it Harry, don't you worry."

"I think that you two make a good couple," he said. "You know Hermione, I haven't said anything but I have these feelings..." He glanced towards the stairs leading to the dorm rooms and lowered his voice. "I think about Ginny all the time. Do you suppose..."

"She really likes you too, Harry,"' she jumped in and interrupted him. "I think Ron would be okay with it too."

He nodded shyly and they both started towards the stairs. "Okay then. Good night, Hermione."

"Good night, Harry," she repeated and left him at the junction of the boy's and girl's dorm. She climbed the stairs with a heaviness that pulled at her heart. The tears that fell dampened her pillow and she lay awake staring at the dark ceiling wishing that she had never met the green-eyed, dark-haired wizard known as Harry Potter.


	10. Chapter 10

Natasha's note: My apologies to those of you who are following this story. My home was threatened by a mountain fire and I was evacuated for eight days. As a result, I have been behind on work and chores. This chapter may also irritate the reader a little. Believe me I hope Hermione sorts it allout soon, lol, so that we can save Harry. Thanks for your patience. Natasha

Chapter Ten Sealed With A Kiss

The following days were not comfortable ones for Hermione. She had a lot to sort out. She knew that in her past the Death Eaters had entered the castle to find a Horcrux. In this time, Snape believed after interrogating the Black sisters that the real purpose was to steal the time-turner. She now knew what objects held the Horcruxes but was prevented from searching for them and she knew about Dumbledore's secrets.

She had given a love potion to Draco with the sole purpose of using him to search his house and now she knew that she would be watched and he would be watched and that they would not be able to do that. She was also still wincing every time she saw him in the hallways. The love potion had not lost its potency and he was still making a nuisance of himself every time he saw her. It had become obvious and rumors were flying that a love potion had been used.

She had also failed in doing anything about the necklace that had already been brought into the castle and had already wrought its damage to Katie Bell.

There were a thousand ongoing events that had already occurred in her past, which may or may not occur in her present and would definitely have an effect on the future. It gave her a headache to keep them straight in her mind. Her memories of her own existence in a different time were now melting into her present experiences and she was having difficulty keeping her objectives clear.

She also chided herself for having opened her mouth. If she had not told Snape or Dumbledore or Lupin about her trip to the future they would not been the wiser and she could have proceeded alone. She angrily nudged the sack containing the book about soul eaters. For the first time since using the time-turner in the field the day of the wedding, she wished to herself that she had never seen it. _All I was supposed to do was stop the wedding_, she told herself. _That's all my older self wanted me to do. Now look where I am!_

_Hermione Granger! _she said harshly to herself in the middle of a transfiguration class. _If he tried to make Harry a Horcrux and Dumbledore stopped it then the sixth Horcrux was incomplete. _She thought about how clever Dumbledore had been in revealing that information. He had talked about his own use of the time-turner and she had been caught up in the story. _So the wand is the sixth Horcrux_. She entirely missed transfiguring Dean Thomas into a small pony and McGonagal was so startled by her unusual lack of spell work that she dismissed the class early.

Instead of stopping to talk to Harry or Ron she slipped out of the room and headed for the Griffindor Common Room and her own dorm room. She was way-laided when she turned a corner by Sybil Trelawney who put out a rather shaky skeletal hand from behind a tapestry and pulled her into a hidden nook. The stress and strain of the past two month had taken there toll and Hermione felt her legs give way at the surprise. Trelawney caught her and pulled her deeper into the alcove.

"Miss Granger!" she whispered vehemently. "Take hold of yourself girl. I can't hold you up!"

Hermione struggled to keep herself conscious and upright and shook free from the pinch. She was about to make a sharp retort to the comment. Something about having been frightened out of her wits by the old bat when she remembered that she was supposed to be on good terms with the woman. She smiled weakly and caught her breath. "Yes, Professor. It's just that you startled me so."

The woman's eyes, magnified by her thick glasses, looked like owl eyes. She leaned in and it was all Hermione could do to stop herself from stepping back.

"I have kept watch. I have studied the situation and I finally made a decision," the woman said in a low husky voice. "I believe THIS is the solution to the problem."

Hermione was struggling to understand what she was going on about when Trelawney held up something in her hand that caught the dim light from a window in the staircase and glimmered before her eyes. The witch didn't seem to understand that Hermione hadn't yet caught up with her train of thought and she continued. "I found this in Albus' rooms. I know we talked about how you would be the one to foil the assassination attempt on his life, how you would impersonate him. But it was much too dangerous my dear. And the portents, the cards spoke of grave danger. But I found this and I have taken it." She dangled the gold chain with the small jewel like a hangmen's noose at the end. "This is a simpler way to manage it all. We can go back in time and save that poor girl and destroy the necklace. Albus will never be in danger and the assassination attempt will be stopped." Trelawney grinned as if to say that her strategy was quite remarkable and then looked over to Hermione to see if she were doing the same.

Hermione reached for the time-turner and it dropped into the palm of her hand so smoothly and neatly it was as if it had a mind of its own and had returned to its rightful owner. She studied it for a moment before slipping it into her pocket.

Her wand was out and she had performed the complicated action and spoken the words before she fully understood what she had done. "Obliviate!"

The woman whose mind had now been swept of the memory of the time-turner stood looking at her with confusion etched on her face. "Good heavens!" she exclaimed as she realized they were standing in semi-darkness behind the tapestry. "What are we...why...well hmmmm, excuse me please. I have become momentarily confused it seems." She backed away from Hermione and slipped out into the open corridor leaving Hermione standing alone.

_If I just use this_, she thought pulling out the time-turner. _If I use this one more time I can go back and none of this will have happened and I can start over_. She walked zombie-like to the tapestry and stepped out into the bright sunlit hallway with the time-turner still in the palm of her hand. She watched as people hurried by her to their classrooms without really attending to them. Just then Harry and Ron caught sight of her and she once again slipped the piece into the pocket of her robe,

"What has gotten into you?" Ron asked. He stomped up and Harry stepped up beside him. She glanced at Harry, who as usual did not speak. She could see something in his eyes that continued to disturb her. _It was always there_, she thought. _The burden. _It was also clear that he was increasingly growing worried about her.

She turned to Ron, "I had to speak to someone and its really none of your business, Ron. I'm late for class and so are you." She turned and fled from them.

The second time a hand reached out and pulled at her she thought that she would scream. It was after supper and the hallways were now almost abandoned and dark.

"Shhhh...Hermione. It's me." The voice was the first thing she recognized and then she saw the squat little figure of Molly Weasley standing near the front entrance. She had just stepped from the broom closet and come up on her from behind.

"What?" Hermione gasped and glanced around quickly. She had once again escaped Draco's clutches and had avoided Harry and Ron and was altogether feeling like she was leading a merry chase; she being the fox and they being the hounds.

Mrs. Weasley pulled her into the closet and stood at the door with her eye to the crack watching and speaking at the same time. "I am here to prepare you and take you to the chambers so that you can be initiated into the Order of the Phoenix. On Dumbledore's orders of course. Heaven knows why they are doing this and personally I think it is just criminal to do it. I cannot fathom what they are all up to."

"The Order?" Hermione whispered frowning.

"Yes...yes," Molly said and closed the door to turn to her. "I'm to take you there now. Wait!" She cracked the door again and then motioned for her to follow. She was handed a cloak to wear and she slipped it on as she followed the waddling woman out the front door and down the path to the gates. They were met by a figure, also cloaked, that turned out to be Remus Lupin.

"We must be quiet, Hermione," Lupin whispered. "Hogwarts is constantly watched and we do not want anyone to know that you are leaving the castle. We are here to guard you and escort you. There are others..." he glanced around and continued, "that are guarding you as well. If we are attacked then return to the school as quickly as you can."

She nodded in understanding and was book-ended by Mrs. Weasley on one side and Remus on the other. "We are going to walk for a distance. Are you ready?"

She nodded again and didn't speak when she felt a cloth drop over her head and cover her eyes. "Just a precaution," Molly Weasley said. "All is revealed to you when you have become initiated. Until then you must be blindfolded. This is preferable to my wand work Hermione. Believe me. I might blind you permanently. Never really good at such things..."

"Molly..." Remus insisted.

"Yes...yes..."

Hermione felt the gentle guidance of Lupin's hand. They did not walk far and yet the going was very difficult given that she could not see and they had to guide her steps. She wanted to ask why they couldn't just apparate to wherever they were going when she felt the temperature change from the cold of the outside to the relatively warmth of a room. She could hear the gentle hum of voices that seemed to echo slightly and then quiet when she entered the room and Remus' touch still on her arm. They had gone down a set of stairs and made several turns and the smell of mustiness assaulted her nose. She could tell they were in a cellar . It was familiar, almost like the rooms of Number 12 Grimmauld Place before they had been cleaned. However when the blindfold was removed she was not in the old Black mansion. She was indeed underground but it was not a cellar or a building where she stood. It was in fact an underground burial chamber.

Most of the people gathered there were people she already knew. George and Fred and Fleure Delacoure stood next to Kingsley Shacklebolt and Hagrid. Mr. Weasley was also present with McGonagal. It was clear that they were waiting for someone else to arrive and Hermione guessed they were waiting for Dumbledore. In fact, in the next instant, Dumbledore and Snape walked through the door together.

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said entering the room. He smiled at her but the smile was wary. "This ceremony will be brief. Gathering together for too long a period of a time puts us all in danger. However, it is necessary. Once admitted to our fold you will be privilege to information that we could not share with you before. Understand that by taking the oath, that allows you admittance to the Order of the Phoenix, that you are obligated through a magical contract to remain loyal to our goals and objectives."

She nodded wondering if his hesitancy was related to the disappearance of the time-turner or if he were even aware that it had gone missing.

"Believe me it is the best way to keep you safe. You are already aware of the Horcruxes." There was a general gasp among the other participants and they quickly grew silent when he looked around the little group. Their faces were lit by the light of a dozen candles sitting on the top of a slab of stone that was an ancient crypt, their eyes were all dark and glittering in the faint light. "There is information that is crucial for you to hear and understand."

She nodded again and swallowed hard.

He stood before her and clasped his hands together. "Our sole purpose in making tis covenant is to try and protect our way of life and that of the muggles." He nodded at her surprised look. "You, more than some, might understand that muggles might become alarmed if our world mingled to closely with their own. I'm afraid the sight of a dragon flying overhead or a unicorn grazing in the garden might be more then some could comprehend." He briefly smiled again and went on. "Our goals and those of Voldemort are not all that dissimilar, but we pursue ours with higher moral standards then he and we are more willing to accept muggle born into our midst. We recognize the necessity of it you see. Plus- for my part- I believe that we have much to learn from one another. And there may come a day when the wall that stands between truly can be breached."

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows at Snape's shifting form. They didn't speak to one another and Dumbledore's gaze rested on her once again. "Magic is ethereal in its substance. We wield the power through the use of our wands, and minds and will. And yet none of us, even the most pureblood, cannot tell you the origins or the meaning of it all. For that reason, we have protected it and held it sacrosanct. Over time many believed it an imperative that the muggle world never become aware of its existence; that true magic for them should fade into the mists of myth or legend. Voldemort is not the first nor will he be the last to want to return to that way of life."

"I am saying that even the most talented, the most gifted, the most skilled wizard or witch does not fully comprehend the power they hold in their hands. To delve into the dark art of magic is almost incomprehensible. For there, our knowledge and understanding is even more fragile and illusive. Some, like Tom Riddle, took that path. He uses dark magic for his own purposes and his own glorification. Understand though, Miss Granger, that there is a price to pay for doing so."

Dumbledore stopped and there was a silence so deep that Hermione could not hear anyone in the room take a breath or stir. "You may wonder," he finally said, "why we do not use the Unforgivable curses or study the dark arts in order to fight the dark lord. It would seem to be a prudent course to take. And I tell you we do not because of this price. He has divided his soul into seven parts and has secreted six of these pieces into objects. There they can take seed and grow. If he should lose his physical body then, as he has already done before, he can resurrect himself. Harry Potter is now very important to him."

Dumbledore stopped and waited until Lupin stepped up beside him. "Voldemort has successfully gained allies, with the colony of werewolves whose leader is Grayback. There are others that he seeks to use in his quest."

"What is his true quest, Professor?" Hermione asked quickly. "Does he want to purify the wizarding world? Rid it and purify it of muggle born and half blood? Is that the real issue?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes, to some degree. I think that was his original intent. But his journey into the world of dark magic has twisted and distorted that goal in his mind. I think he now wishes to dominate and rule over this world. As you have discovered with the knowledge you have gained from others..." he stopped and bent his head a moment, "...let's say that he could very well defeat us and do that very thing. My concern also is that he believes himself immortal and therefore godlike. I believe he will not be satisfied until he does the very thing that we have all worked to prevent. I believe he will try and annihilate all muggles."

Hermione gasped and studied his face, searching for some indication that he was stretching the truth or trying to frighten her. She saw the grimness in his eyes.

"Is it your goal then to destroy the Horcruxes and destroy him?" she asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Partly." He held up the burnt stump of his arm. "If it can be done."

She glanced at Snape and then looked at Lupin. "Harry is my friend. I'm wondering though, if so much is at stake, why you wouldn't kill him? It would be, as you put it, a prudent course of action. At least Voldemort couldn't have him."

Dumbledore held up his index finger to his lips and nodded. "Yes. You've gone to the heart of the matter. I, too, care about Harry. I do not want him sacrificed even if it would mean that many lives would be saved. I have fought to keep him alive and well and protected. We know from our experience that Voldemort has sought to have him destroyed. That was a mistake that he has now regretted I'm sure. No, I think that Voldemort very much wants Harry to remain alive. I believe that he is aware that the diary and the Gaunt ring have been destroyed, I KNOW that he is aware of it. He will not want to lose anymore of his soul pieces."

"So you are willing to use Harry as bait," Hermione said grimly.

Lupin interrupted. "I care about Harry too, Hermione. Albus is gradually teaching Harry about the Horcruxes because there may come a time when Harry will face him again. Don't you see that Voldemort won't want to kill him. He will do everything in his power not to kill him. If anyone can finish Voldemort off, it'll be Harry. We can't even get close to him."

Hermione nodded and turned back to Dumbledore. "What is the purpose of the Order of the Phoenix and why should I join?"

He looked at her with a steady eye and said, "It has not changed, Miss Granger. Our duty lies in protecting the wizarding world from Voldemort. However, it is also our duty to remove anything that would aid or abet Voldemort in reaching his goals."

She dropped her head and closed her eyes in pain and mumbled, "Even if it means we have to kill Harry ourselves in order to do it."

She felt Lupin's hand reach out to her. "Let's hope it never comes to that. What you know about the Horcruxes can help us Hermione."

"You're asking me to take an oath that I will kill Harry if he should ever be captured by Voldemort."

"Based on what you have told us about the Horcruxes," Dumbledore said quietly, "something I did not think was possible became very real to me. Voldemort has gone further than any other wizard I know. If he were to abduct Harry I do not wish to think what his life would be like afterward. Perhaps death would be preferable."

Hermione looked up feeling the tears running down her cheeks. They all looked as if they too felt like she did. She finally nodded her acceptance.

The ceremony was short. The room was lit further by more candles and it revealed four sarcophagi. It was clear they held the remains of the four heads of house of Hogwarts and Hermione knew immediately that she had not really been taken from the castle but underneath it.

After Dumbledore spoke the words of the oath, the members filed by and each stopped before her and bent to place a kiss on her lips. "To seal the oath," Dumbledore said. The last to file by was Snape. He bent and she looked into his dark eyes for a moment longer than she had the others and wondered if the oath had not given him permission to do what he had intended on doing long before. He leaned over and his lips lingered on hers and then he stepped back and melted into the darkness.

"Come on Hermione, I'll show you the way back," Mrs. Weasley said and took her arm. Hermione followed a procession up the stairs of stone and into the cold night.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven The Time-turner

Harry stood in the shadow of the castle entryway and watched the figures moving towards the entrance. He hid beneath the invisibility cloak and kept his silence until two of them parted and left the one alone. He knew who it was.

He watched Hermione walk slowly toward the castle, her head hanging down. He had never seen her look so forlorn and desolate and his heart went out to her even though he had stood in the cold and waited for almost an hour. He had been angry about her deceptions and worried about her strange behavior. He had rehearsed what he had wanted to say to her; how she had lied to him, had avoided him. Now, it all seemed a waste of time. The words he had intended to say were gone.

"Hermione," he whispered.

She stopped, gasped, and grabbed at her chest in shock and surprise. She just as quickly had her wand up and in his face.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he said quickly and pulled the hood back. "It's me."

"Harry," she snapped, "I could have hurt you badly. What are you doing!" She was clearly angry.

"I could ask you the same thing," he muttered back, clenching his teeth against his own sudden anger. "I recognized Mrs. Weasley and Lupin. I'm sure there were others. What have you been up to?"

She stared at him and then flew into his arms and began to sob hysterically. He was so bewildered by the sudden action that he lost his balance and almost toppled to the ground with her on top of him. He did, however, manage to brace himself against a pillar and hold her steady. It had never been easy for him to understand girls. Even Hermione had been a mystery to him at times. He credited her for being able to explain herself more openly than others and had been thankful for it. Now he waited until the torrent of tears and sobs seemed to ease. All he could do was hold her and pat her and hope that no one came by to hear the noise. _Especially not Snape_, he thought. The ugly git had taken to patrolling the grounds at odd hours and had made his trips around the castle at night difficult.

She finally seem to master her emotions and stepped back enough so that he felt he could let go. They stood very close and he looked down into her face. He was grateful that he had grown enough over the summer to do it. There was a nice advantage to being taller, it actually even made him feel like her protector.

"Can you talk about it?" he asked, glancing quickly around. It was a moonless night and it was a cold night. The snow that had fallen days before glittered like blue diamonds and the air was crisp. Having stood for so long he could hardly feel his feet and the shadows were long and very dark. It was not a good place to be.

The tears that glittered on her cheeks made him shiver. He reached over and wiped her cheek with his fingertips and she burst into sobs and grabbed at his hand, holding it tightly and then bending forward and burying her face in his chest.

"Ohhh, Har...Har...Harreeeee," she moaned into his cloak.

He stood and wrapped his arms around her again and began to slowly move her towards the entrance. "Hermione we need to get inside. It's cold. And," he leaned over and pulled the invisibility cloak around both of them, "we need to be quiet."

She looked up startled and almost angry and then crowded under the cloak and nodded. The two of them entered the castle and headed towards the Common Room. The hallways seemed deserted of even the ghosts and Peeves. They hurried towards Gryffindor Tower.

---------------------------

They sat in the Gryffindor Common Room and stared at one another. It was now three in the morning and Hermione had just finished talking. She had told him almost everything leaving out only her feelings for him and the contents of the oath she had just taken to become a member of the Order of the Phoenix. He looked at her and then at the cold embers of the fire and then at her again without speaking.

There was a faint popping noise and they both were up and had their wands out before they realized that it was a diminutive figure standing near the portrait hole and it had long wiggling ears.

"Dobby?" Harry gasped.

"It's is Dobby, sir," the elf answered.

"What are you doing, Dobby?" Harry asked as they both lowered their wands.

"We are here Harry Potter to clean the fireplace and start the fire anew. It is late in the night and this is when we does our work, sir. Is there something Harry Potter needs from Dobby?" The elf inched into the room and waited anxiously.

"Nothing Dobby. You just startled us." He nodded towards Hermione. "Don't let us keep you from your work."

The elf nodded and moved to the fireplace where he began to sweep away cold ashes and arrange wood into a heap where it would roar to life and warm the room for the morning. Harry and Hermione sat back down and watched him.

"What do you think we ought to do?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," she answered, shaking her head in misery. "I've made a mess of things and I just seem to keep digging the hole deeper. None of this feels right, Harry, maybe because I interfered too much. But no one is acting right. They are not themselves. At least not the people they were in my own time. " She shook her head when he glanced sideways at her. "It's too hard to explain. Hopping around in time just makes things worse." She started to tear again and said, "Of course, saving you and saving Dumbledore was not bad. I don't mean it in that way. It just feels like something dark, some dark magic is involved in using this." She fingered the time turner that still hung from the gold chain around her neck.

Harry nodded. "Death is permanent, Hermione. It wasn't meant to be something that should be fixed. It's taken me a long time to accept my parents deaths and even harder to accept Sirius', but I've come to accept it I think. Maybe I wouldn't be the person I am today if they all had survived. But I know Hermione, that if I'd had the time-turner the night that Sirius died I would have used it; I know I would have. Maybe I would have even accepted Dumbledore's death in time, I don't know since that hasn't happened yet. But again, I would have been very tempted to use that," he nodded at the jewel." I don't have to now and actually I'm really grateful for that."

"Really?" she asked, a single tear gleaming in her eye.

He nodded and fingered his wand which he still held. "Dumbledore brought me back from the dead. He used the time-turner to save my life. That's a really strange thought. You did the same when you used it during the wedding and we visited your older self. So literally I have been dead twice." He glanced at her again and tried a smile. "I need to be more careful it seems."

"Harry!" she exclaimed and ducked her head again. His weak humor had failed to cheer her and she was sobbing again.

"Hermione stop," he said and reached for her hand. " No regrets, okay? Let's just try and figure out what to do from now on. I've only just learned about the Horcruxes. It seems that we should use your knowledge and try and destroy them. I may also have a chance against Voldemort with all this new information. And Dumbledore is still alive, that's got to be important. We have time to prepare."

She continued to weep and looked up at him with red eyes and a wet face. "I can't seem to get it done Harry. I've been trying."

"Remember when I was in the Triwizard's tournament and you kept pushing me to do something and not wait?" He squeezed her hand and reached for a handkerchief that he kept in his inner pocket. He handed it to her and waited for her to dab at her face. "Remember how I tried to do it all myself? It's always better when you and Ron are helping me. I've finally figured that out. The three of us have to fix this and we have to do it soon."

She studied his hand, now resting on her own and she patted it and let go. "Yes, you're right. Maybe the three of us can do this."

He nodded and then took a deep breath and said, "Maybe it's time to get rid of that."

She looked startled and then folded the time-turner into her fist. "But Harry," her voice dropping to a whisper, "what if something should happen to you or to Dumbledore again? What..."

He cut across her and put his own hand over her fist. "Then it happens and you live with it." She was shaking her head and pulling back. "Don't you see Hermione that the temptation is too great. We can't deal with what's happening if we keep changing it every time we don't like the outcome. The old lady that you saw, the old Hermione told you to change one thing. What was it?"

Hermione held the fist against her chest protectively and raised her chin. "She said to go back to the wedding early so that you wouldn't die."

"Why?" he asked quietly. "Why do that and only that?"

Hermione dropped her head and then looked directly into his eyes and said softly, "She loved you. She loved you even as I love you now and she couldn't stand the thought that you were lost to her. She understood that if I went back and saved you it would change everything. She didn't care. She loved you."

Harry sat staring back at her and then his eyes dropped to the fist that held the time-turner.

"That's not the Hermione that I know. She would care what happened. Even if I died she would not be careless with the rest of the world." His eyes drifted to hers. "I love you too Hermione. You and Ron are my family, you are all that I have. I would willingly give my life for you. Whatever happens in our lives from now on, my feelings will never change. Can you trust that?" They were words that would have been difficult to say to anyone else and yet he found it easy to speak his heart.

Hermione eyes searched his face. She continued to clutch the time-turner against her chest and she shook her head slightly. "You don't understand what I mean..." she began.

He nodded slowly. "Yes... I do." He let the words sink in prepared to say more and knew that he wouldn't have to.

She nodded slowly and relaxed. Her hand dropped to her lap and the fist sprang open. He reached for the time-turner and felt its' heat. He was startled to discover Dobby standing at his side. The elf had been listening quietly and was staring at them with his large golf-ball size eyes. They were filled with tears.

"Dobby," Harry said and dangled the jewel before the elf's eyes. "Drop this in the fire for me will you?" he glanced over at the roaring fire that Dobby had just started.

The elf took the time-turner and walked slowly to the fire. He stopped and waited as if Harry was going to say something and when Harry nodded he dropped the jewel, chain and all into it.

Hermione gasped and seemed to push away from the fire as it roared up suddenly and consumed it.

Harry looked over and then reached for her and pulled in to him surrounding her with his arms and holding her. Footsteps sounded from behind them.

"What's this?" someone asked. It was Ron.

Harry turned his head and sent a look that was unmistakable to his friend. It said: _Don't mistake what you are seeing_. "Come and sit down Ron, we have a lot to tell you."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve A Promise Made is a Debt Unpaid

Hermione dropped to her bed in exhaustion and stared at the stared canopy over her head. The silver and gold stars were on the blue velvet fabric of the material covering her bed. It was meant to calm and relax the sleeper. She stared at it and imagined it to be the real thing and felt herself dropping through the night sky out of control. It shook her up so much she flipped to her stomach and watched the other sleeping girls in her room. It was almost time to wake and get ready for classes. She had not even been to bed until now.

She thought about Harry and his reactions to her story. As always he was quiet almost enigmatic about the whole thing. One thing seemed clear, he did not share her feelings; at least not THOSE feelings and it was breaking her heart. She lay and felt the tears run down her cheek to soak her pillow. Although, he was now informed and had all the information she had, she felt it was not enough. She swallowed hard and wiped the tears away with her bed sheet and reached for her bag. She fumbled through the books and other things that always loaded her down with the weight of the deitrus. She found the small book and stared at it. It seemed to crawl creepily in her hand and she found herself wiping her palm periodically on her robe; the robe she had not changed in a full forty eight hours.

She could still feel his arms around her and yet knew that it was probably the last time she would feel them. She stared at the book and was startled out of her revere by the sound of one of her roommates clumping out of the room towards the bathroom. Hermione knew that it wouldn't be long before everyone was awake. If she was going to act she needed to do so immediately. The halls would be swarming with students headed for breakfast. Teachers would be in the Great Hall or in their own rooms having their own breakfast.

She leapt from the bed and said a quick good morning to someone with a towel wrapped around their head like a turban. She sped down the stairs and through the common room and out the portrait hole. The halls were still fairly empty. Even Peeves seemed to be mysteriously absent. She made her way to the entrance and saw that the doors to the hall were open although there was no sound emanating from the room yet. People were just waking. She slipped out the front door. It was still almost dark. The crisp cool dawn of morning had not arrived since the mountains that surrounded Hogwarts were high enough to hide the sun for a little longer. She noticed that the lake was glassy and a deep sapphire color. Hagrid's chimney was producing prodigious amounts of smoke and the woods were dark as if they had not awakened from night.

She hurried down the path checking behind her several times and then hurrying on. The road was muddy and the pools of once melted water were frozen. She cracked through them leaving a trail. She was in such a hurry that she didn't stop to perform a spell to cover her leaving.

Once at the gate she whirled in a circle, looked once more at the castle, gave out a little cry of grief and disapparated.

A bird echoed her mournful cry and then took flight and sailed over the lake stretching its wings. The golden rays of light burst out from behind the mountain in the east and illuminated the castle so that it appeared like a sugar encrusted sweet. Hagrid stepped from his hut with Fang at his heels and he started for the paddock that lay behind it. The first class of the morning for many young students was Care of Magical Creatures. He was carrying a burlap sack that wiggled and gave off tiny shrieks and would have dismayed any first year student if they had seen it.

Harry and Ron had also gone to bed after there all night talk with Hermione. Harry had removed his glasses and had lain on top of his blankets without changing his clothes. Ron had been wearing his pajamas when he had gone down and had at least had several hours of sleep. He was now soundly asleep and snoring as were the others in the room.

Harry lay almost in the same identical position as Hermione in the girl's dorm across the tower from him. He stared at the window and watched as the light turned from ebony to a indigo and then lightened. He knew what Hermione was feeling, he had the same feelings. it wasn't until he heard her say the words that he finally faced his own feelings. He'd had a passing flirtation with Cho, had decided that he really did like Ginny; but nothing had prepared him for the rough raw feelings that seem to tear at his heart, that came on so suddenly when he watched and listened to her confess her own feelings. _He had to say the words though,_ he thought bitterly. He had to tell her that there were important things to consider and having a relationship was far down the list. He knew she understood, or at least thought she did.

His thoughts turned to the information that she had given them. He studied Ron and wished that he could fall asleep and let go of the burdens he carried. He was far from sleep.

He did not see her at breakfast when he finally changed his clothes and went down with Ron. "She's probably sleeping in," he told Ron. They sat down to breakfast and ate in silence. Neither had anything to say, they were both still absorbing what they had heard. On their way to class they talked quietly.

"Maybe we can talk to Slughorn and ask him about soul eaters," Ron suggested. "Or you can talk to him. He likes you Harry. He's probably gonna invite you up for one of his teas again soon. it would be a perfect time to accept and see what he has to say."

Harry glanced over at his friend. There was not the usual jealous tone to the suggestion. He nodded. "You might be right about that. Although I don't really trust him if you know what I mean." Ron nodded and then shrugged and entered the classroom. It was the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. To their mutual surprise Snape was not at the head of the classroom or at the door. He was gone and in his place a young thin figure stood at the podium. Harry grinned. It was Tonks.

"Watch Harry," she said grinning and then watched as everyone shrugged into their seats. "I'm 'ere cuz Professor Snape was called away suddenly." She walked the classroom and picked up items as she went. She studied the sketches and drawings that festooned the walls. "Dark magic is what I 'ear the Professor is talking about. Well for starters I should introduce myself. I'm Nymphadora Tonks and I prefer being called Tonks." There were a few sniggers at the back of the room which she ignored. "I work for the Ministry as an Auror..." the sniggers stopped, "...and Dumbledore asked me to step in this morning."

Harry leaned back and relaxed. Tonks stopped in front of him and smiled again. This morning her hair was spiked out in her eyes had a ribbon of black painted across them like a raccoon. Her lips were black and she'd adopted the custom she'd seen in the muggle world of wearing a gold ring thru her nose. She wore a gauzy black shirt that hung over black jeans. the jeans were tucked into high black boots that had sharp spiky tall heels that mimicked her hair. "I'm gonna leave up to you as to what you'd like to talk about today. Suggestions-hands please."

Harry raised his hand immediately.

"Oy 'arry. What have you got on yer mind?" she asked.

"Talk about the animagus or being a metamorphmagus," he said quickly. The room seemed to perk up at his suggestion.

"Oh yeah, alright."

The hour seemed to go by quickly and everyone was rising and leaving before Harry realized it. He waited and nodded to Ron to signal him that he wanted to talk to Tonks alone and he was to cover. He waited until the room emptied.

"Tonks," he began, turning to her. She was sitting on one of the desks with one leg on the desk and the other tucked beneath her. The heel of the boot was dug into the top of the wood. it happened to be Snape's desk.

"What's up Harry?"

"The class was good," he said quickly. She smiled and studied her nails which were painted black. In the light of the classroom she looked a little less down and depressed then she had when she had rescued him on the train at the beginning of school. "Were you guarding the school?"

She nodded and dropped her feet down to rest her elbows on her thighs. "Yeah. Dumbledore called me in about dawn. Nothin' really going on."

"Tonks, I could really use you're help," he said earnestly. "I need to get into Number 12 Grimmauld Place and search it for something."

"Not a problem Harry. The place is yours anyway you know," she looked at him with curiosity.

He nodded in surprise. He kept forgetting that he owned the Black mansion. "I need to do it without Dumbledore or anyone from the Order knowing about it."

"Not a problem Harry. We don't use it for meetings anymore." She jumped down and walked to him slowly. "We use another place." She studied him. "Want me to come get you and help?"

He nodded.

"Ok. Name the time."

"Tonight at midnight," he said. He picked up his books when she nodded and turned to go. "Great class, Hope Snape stays away for awhile." She smiled and turned away as he walked from the room.

Later the same day he remembered the invitation to Slughorn's Christmas party. Christmas was not very far away and it was an opportunity to follow-up on Ron's suggestion. He also wondered why Hermione did not show for the Transfiguration class and half believed his own story when he told Professor McGonagall that Hermione was ill and had slept in.

-------------------------------

Hermione stood on the grimy dark street of Knockturn Alley just as the shopkeepers opened their doors and the normal derelict population of that quarter were waking and wandering out into light of day-what there was of it. The buildings seemed to lean in towards the street cutting out the hopeful, warming light of the dawn. She was sure that even on the warmest days of summer it was still chilly and eerie in this part of the city.

She made her way along the cobbled street as the lights were being snuffed by a tall thin birdlike wizard dressed all in black. He was almost as tall as the gas street lamps and carried with him a tool to reach up and open the face of each lantern and cover the pal flame within. She caught herself watching him half mesmerized by his strange crane like walk and posture. he even imitated the bird by bending one leg and stretching his arms and head up so that he was elongated and could have slipped through a crack between two buildings with ease.

He caught her glance and leered at her. "'ello missy. Lost are ya?"

She pulled the hood around her face and moved by him quickly almost expecting his thin fingers to pluck at her robe. A goblin stuck its face out a door and slipped back as quickly. She walked past the bookstore where she had purchased the book and kept walking. She glanced at the address she had copied onto parchment from the book. The street sign was encrusted with soot and some unidentifiable goo but readable. She took a turn and walked a half block up the dead-end street and saw the stairs that went up to the first floor flat of the building.

She stopped and glanced back hesitating for a moment and then began to climb the stairs. The street was empty and silent. It seemed, she decided, that the proprietors of the businesses that lined the curb were not all that interested in opening their shops at a normal hour. She stopped at the top and watched the lanky lamplighter stride across the intersection. He looked down the street as if to see if she were there and didn't think to glance up or he would have. She reached for the ornate doorknob and opened the door without knocking. The room was dark with just enough light for her to see that it was a sitting room of sorts and there was but one door opening into it. She stepped in and held a hand to her nose. The smell was incredible, it was rank and sour.

"Hello?" she whispered and wish that she could be even quieter. She was not at all sure that she wanted a response.

The other door opened and she stepped back so that she could feel the door at her back and the knob digging into her hip. The creature that entered the room was shockingly ugly and deformed. She gasped then actually gagged as she tasted the foul air.

The creature was a dwarf human although there were lumps and knobs of flesh all over it that made it difficult to recognize as human. A raspy voice snarled from its mouth. "What do you want?"

She steadied herself and stood erect. "I'm looking for Harvey Morocco."

"You found him girly. What do you want?" He approached her by heaving his bulk across the floor in a drag-stomp-drag gait. _It's no wonder_, she thought. One of his legs was bent and he walked on the ankle of it while the other was elephantine and twice the size, hence the stomping sound. He was about the height of a house elf but twice the size in girth and his clothes were blousy and gray as if they had never been washed.

As he drew near, she desperately wanted to put a hand over her face to ward off the smell that rose from him. She didn't dare move and held her cloak closed with one hand and held her wand in the other.

"You are a soul eater?" she asked.

The eyes that were as dark as tar studied her. "What do you know of soul eaters? By the looks of you I would say that you are still a girl and have not become a full grown woman. You are dressed in finery and you smell like the blossoms of a rose." He leered suddenly and then drew back. "You have no business in this quarter or at least shouldn't have. I would guess that you are also not a pureblood- perhaps a half breed or muggle born."

"What does that matter?" Hermione snapped. "Are you a soul eater or not?"

The gruesome man limped to a chair that looked almost as lumpy and sagging as he did. He dropped into and waved a twisted and gnarled hand at her and she slowly stepped over to sit on a hardback chair across from him.

"I am what you say," he said and continued, "although we do not use that term. It is not a precise term."

She nodded. "I understand that you are obligated to follow a set of rules for your profession; one being, complete confidentiality. I understand you cannot tell anyone of our communication, or...of our contract if one is made."

The creature squirmed and asked gruffly, "What do you know of my profession...or of the rules?"

She loosened her robe and showed him the book and then quickly concealed it again.

He smiled and tapped the table sitting between them with his wand. A set of teacups and a steaming pot appeared on it. He gestured and she slowly reached over and poured steaming tea into each cup. She did not want to drink or eat or even open her mouth in the stench that filled the room.

"I perform a service," he began. "Do you understand what that service entails?"

She nodded, holding the cup under her nose. "You transfer or consume a person's soul. You take it into yourself...I don't know what happens then."

The creature grinned and sipped loudly at his own tea. "That happens. I also can transfer my own soul into another...walk-in to the physical body and...have a little visit."

"What happens when you take the soul of another?" she asked.

He shrugged and sat the cup down. "They go on. No one really sees much difference. Their closest relatives and friends sometimes see changes."

"Why...why do people...?" she began and then stopped herself.

Harvey Morocco folded his hands over his rotund belly. "It's murder really. The essence of the person is taken by me. The physical body goes on. No one can be held responsible for murder if the person is still alive; but it is murder."

She frowned and kept silent. She knew what this man was and it was obvious he had no compunction about it.

"I am not a teacher and I am not here to teach you," he growled. "What do you want?'

"Voldemort has made seven Horcruxes," she explained. "If I bring the objects that hold the Horcruxes to you, will you then take the soul pieces from them and consume them?"

"Horcruxes!" the man breathed. "Voldemort? His soul!" He touched the cup delicately with a gnarled finger. "Oh how delicious that would be." He said it with such a painfully delightful expression of greed and gluttony on his face that Hermione drew back in the chair in horror.

"The taste of it..." Morocco said drooling. He glanced up and saw the look on her face.

"Taste?" she murmured in shock.

He grinned and ran his tongue over his lips. "They used to call us sin eaters in the old days. The greater the sin the tastier, almost an aphrodisiac. It would be a feast." he closed his eyes in anticipatory ecstasy.

"and...and the price for doing this," she breathed.

He continued to grin and leaned forward so that she almost gagged from the smell of his body so near her own. There was a long pause and he answered slowly, with his eyes roving over her face. "It has been a long time, a very long time since I did a walk-in." He reached a grubby hand across the table as if to cover her own. "I would want to share your space m'dear. I would walk-in and share your space for a day." He smiled at her with what he must have thought was a charming smile.

Hermione drew back once again horrified at what he was suggesting. "Walkin? Into me?"

"Oh yes, m'dear. But just for a day. I haven't been inside a young, vigorous body for ever so long and never in a female. It would be such a treat."

Hermione was suddenly on her feet and backing towards the door. She felt that if she didn't reach fresh air and sunshine soon that she would faint dead away. The idea that this repulsive creature might be able to crawl inside of her body and 'share' her soul made her shiver in horror.

She once again felt the doorknob nudging her in the back and realized that if she left she could not return. She closed her eyes and remembered Harry sitting in the light of the fire, seeing the sadness in his eyes as she told him what she knew. She opened her eyes and saw the twisted distorted human that sat across from her and reminded herself that a promise made was a debt unpaid. She stepped forward once again.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen The Time-turner Returns

A deep voice sounded behind her, a long drawn out single note on the lower range of the scale. The voice said a single word, "SILENCIO!" and at the same time an arm draped in a black robe came around from behind and across her chest and pulled her back. She knew the voice and also could smell the faint odor of mixtures of herbs and other objects used in potion-making.

The dwarf-like creature seated in front of her snarled and wriggled in his chair. "Severus Snape," Morocco gurgled. "What do you want? The girly came to me. She is unharmed." The dwarf shrank back and seemed to be afraid.

Snape's breath warmed her ear when he spoke, "Have you agreed to anything, asked for anything?" He was speaking to her. She shook her head while still being held tight against his chest.

Morocco suddenly changed his attitude and seemed to be smiling. At least Hermione thought it was possible. She wished that he wouldn't as he was exposing those horrible greenish, yellowish teeth and the smell of his rancid breath once again filled the room. She suddenly twisted out of Snape's arm lock and dove under his arm and raced to the stair landing, out into the morning air and instantly vomited over the rail. She heard the door behind her.

When she turned Snape was standing and watching her. The door to the flat was closed.

She wiped her mouth with her robe and stared back definitely.

"If you are intent on destroying the Horcruxes, Miss Granger, then I will help you," Snape said very quietly. "I hope that you have learned something with this experience. You almost did something that would have been regrettable."

She gritted her teeth and snapped, "You followed me!"

"Obviously," he answered and folded his arms across his chest.

She couldn't read his face and didn't dare look at the door behind him. She thought she might end up leaning over the rail again if she even let the thought of the dwarf man enter her mind.

Snape seemed to be reading her thoughts and smirked a little before growing grave. "We are brethren in the same Order and I am obligated to protect those that have given the same oath of allegiance." He leaned forward and snarled, "Morocco's real name is Sylvester Hurley. He takes on the name of his last... well it is not important. Hurley is filth. If you have negotiated with him...agreed to anything..."

Hermione couldn't help but agree. Morocco or Hurley- what ever he was called- was the biggest pig in the sty, the only problem was he was one of the very few soul-eaters that was alive. "Have you got a better idea?" she asked grimly.

"So you did?" He raised his eyebrows high and stretched to his full height.

She drew back knowing that he intended to be intimidating. It worked and she gritted her teeth against her own fear and let her anger come forward. "I did nothing, I agreed to nothing."

He studied her face and then started down the stairs without answering her first question and she followed reluctantly. They met at the bottom where he turned and she had the advantage of being on a stair and able to look down into his face. There was something there that was very foreign and she searched it wonderingly. There was a gentleness she had never seen before and never expected to see on his face; especially not towards her.

"There are other ways then resorting to that," he said and glanced up the stairs.

"Are you serious about helping me?" she asked. He nodded. "Why? Why would you help me?"

"You are endangering your future, everyone's future. The knowledge you have..." he hesitated and then continued, "if you act on that knowledge it changes what WILL BE in an unnatural way. Do you really understand?"

She nodded.

"I think perhaps it is wise that you have some assistance. If you are going to do it, and I think that that is inevitable given your nature," he sniffed, "then I think having a more reasonable and wiser person helping you do it would be- should I repeat myself- wise."

She nodded again. He turned to move down the street, this time walking slowly knowing that she was following a step behind. They reached the corner where the lamplighter had put out the overhead streetlamp. It was not needed because a weak watery sun was shiny down on the grime of Knockturn Alley.

"Professor," she began, "I've told Harry and Ron."

He was still and looking up and down the now busy street, clearly observing the pedestrians that were rambling around. The news made him glance down at her, stop and take in a deep breath and close his eyes. She knew he was feeling frustration.

"Why should that surprise me," he said and turned to the left and started walking again. She remained at his side. "You are very good at learning from books Miss Granger but you are short on common sense."

She bristled at the criticism and growled back, "He's been in the dark from the beginning. Dumbledore knew what Voldemort was doing and he left Harry exposed. NOW he's face with this task, this unbelievable task..."

She was stopped short in her remark when he reached out and stopped her, his iron grip bruising her flesh. "Not here!" he snapped. "Not on this street." He pulled her along with him not releasing her wrist until they were in Diagon Alley and through the entryway into the Leaky Cauldron. He pushed her into a chair and nodded to Tom the innkeeper while he pulled off his heavy black robe and carefully draped it over a chair, took one across from her and faced her.

"You criticize Dumbledore for his actions and yet no one knows his motives for what he has done. It is not important at this stage anyway. Narrow it down Miss Granger. Learn to narrow down your choices to what you can change and what is unchangeable. We have a job to do. I say 'we' because you will pursue this line of inquiry and get yourself into trouble and probably cause more harm then good."

She sniffed and kept silent as the innkeeper reappeared and laid a table before them with a breakfast. She realized that she was hungry and had not eaten since the day before, but she had never ever considered the possibility of sharing a supper with her past potion's master and present Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She picked up a piece of bread and a sliver of cheese and bit off a piece of each and remained silent. She knew he was right.

His eyes narrowed and he sipped at a cup of coffee that sat before him. He left his meal untouched. "You have no concept of what lies before you. I am not surprised that you have told Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. You have put them in grave danger out of your own naïveté. You know Potter. He will be reckless with his own life and yours and Mr. Weasley's. He will come after you to save you." He snarled out the word 'save'.

She nodded and hated the fact that she had to agree with him and yet there was no denying the fact.

"I think it wise to return to school after you meal to alleviate their anxieties."

She leaned forward and asked, "Can you gather the Horcruxes together yourself? Can you find a way to destroy them? I don't trust you!" She glared at him. "You hate Harry. For that matter, you don't like me very much either or Ron. You'd like to get rid of me so that I can't cause anymore problems, I overheard your conversation with Dumbledore. You help Dumbledore to cover up the truth. I don't believe you'll do anything about the Horcruxes or Voldemort. You and Dumbledore just want to appease me so I won't do anything. Well, it won't work!"

His face drained of color and then there was a faint flush of anger. He, too, leaned over and whispered violently, "Come with me!" He stood quickly, gathered his robe and pulled her to her feet with one hand under her arm. She tried to shake free and also not to draw attention to herself or to the two of them and so said nothing as he pulled her to the street.

It was a sunny day already. The muggles on the street didn't seem to pay any attention to them even though they were still dressed in their wizarding clothes. Snape pulled her into the shadows and glanced down an alley and walked her into it. The sun was already beating on the brick and turning it into an oven. They could smell garbage and the scent of baking bread; a very strange mixture. She finally pulled free and turned on him but didn't speak.

"Do you have the time-turner?" he asked suddenly.

She studied his face in the light. On the muggle side of the world, he looked very strange and out of place. She knew, however, that he was very dangerous in either world. "It was destroyed," she said finally.

He raised a questioning eyebrow and stood very still.

"It was destroyed," she repeated. "I told Harry everything and he made Dobby throw it into the fire."

"The one that Trelawney took from Dumbledore's office?" he asked.

Hermione nodded slowly. "How did you know?"

Snape huffed and spread his feet and crossed his arms. It was a gunfighter's stance and very odd given the circumstances. "Trelawney is a nitwit and you are too clever a witch to believe that she was not watched after your little meeting with her."

"You knew?!" Hermione gasped, ignoring the fact that he had just given her a compliment.

"I have had you watched, Miss Granger," Snape said quietly. "You cannot fool me. Again I warn you I am not as vigilant as the dark lord. His spies are everywhere even in Hogwarts. He seeks the time-turner, he wants Potter dead and with him, all of his friends. He wants Dumbledore dead and out of his way. The world is in peril. I watched you to protect you from yourself and to protect the rest of us. How could I not, given the story that you told us. The time-turner has become both an asset and liability. Do you really think Dumbledore would leave it lying around after you told us what you knew?"

"So the one that she gave me was not real?" Hermione asked.

Snape remained silent staring at the wall opposite her, deep in thought.

"Professor?" Hermione stepped closer. She realized that he didn't know the answer to her question. "You don't know! You don't know do you!"

Snape's eyes drifted downward and he finally moved, turning to retrace his steps and leave the alley.

She stopped him by grabbing his arm. "Where are you going? I thought we were going to find the Horcruxes and destroy them."

He stopped and turned on her and said very quietly but with great intensity, "I'm taking you back to Hogwarts."

She could tell he was infuriated. She had seen the look many times before. She guessed that it was about Dumbledore and the time-turner. "Look I'm not going to stop. I'm going after the Horcruxes. Harry and Ron will want to go look for them, too. You can't stop us. If I have to I'll go back...back to...Morocco or Hurley or whatever his name is, I'll make a deal with him. If there is no other way...I'll..."

He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her to him, his face a mask of fury. "You've evidently made a mess of things and I am trying to sort it all out. The Horcruxes are the least of our worries right now."

She pulled free once again. "What do you mean I've made a mess of things?" she asked in anger. This time she was not intimidated by his towering presence such a short distance away.

His lip curled into a snarl as he replied, "I have given it considerable thought, something you have failed to do. If I find the time-turner I can send you back in time to the beginning. I have already been to Godric's Hollow and there is no woman living there. It is nothing but ruins. I can send you back in your time to the night of the wedding."

She rubbed her arms where his fingers had dug in and stared at him. _Send me back? _she thought. _Godric's Hollow in ruins?! _She studied his face. " No you can't! That's the night that Harry dies. It doesn't solve anything. The old Hermione said that Voldemort wins; he takes over!" She stood her ground and put her hands on her hips defiantly. "There's more to it than that, isn't there?" She waited an instant before going on. "You intend to use it and go back in time as well." Snape turned to go again and she stopped him again. "You didn't follow me to save me. You don't care about Harry at all. You never did. This is something else. A vendetta?" she watched his face closely. "Who are YOU trying to save?"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen Dark Sun

Snape turned to her and there was a look that was unreadable, as always, on his face. Hermione stood her ground until he relented and spoke. "Why are you doing this?" he asked. This time he didn't sicker or snarl, he asked calmly, even politely. "Is it for Potter? Because you love him? It can be for nothing else, because you risk so much." Snape's voice softened as he spoke. "If I had the time-turner I think that I would probably use it as you have. From the moment you told me what you had done, that was all I wanted; although I will say once again, it is insanity to use the time-turner."

He bowed his head and stared at the opposite wall. Minutes went by in the stinking alley. The world of muggles, automobiles and pedestrians, passed them by without notice.

Hermione thought that it was a strangely intimate moment. She was being defiant and he was not reacting to it. She doubted he would reveal himself and she was surprised when he continued in the same soft voice.

"I thought that was why I was following you so that I could steal it from you. I watched you and I learned that your choices have not been made from greed but from desperation. That has rarely been the case for me."

"What is your motive?" Hermione asked quietly. She doubted that she would find him in such a mood again.

"Justice," he said. His forehead wrinkled in thought and it was clear he was in some emotional pain. A vein pulsed in his forehead and his jaw tightened. The normally dark eyes still glittered and he was no longer looking at her but at some distant scene perhaps one that had taken place years before.

"Revenge, is more like it," she hissed suddenly, his answer provoking her sudden anger. "But for who?"

Snape turned to her and stared at her. His look seemed to go through her and beyond.

"For once, just tell me the truth!" she cried. "I might be willing to stop getting in the way if you'd just tell me the truth."

"He killed her...my mother... he took me when I was too young to understand and she fought for me... I want ...revenge...for many things." His voice had a droning, dead quality to it. "It hardly matters what word you choose; revenge- justice- it is the same. I alone have sacrificed so much so that I can be the one who kills HIM. It has to be me. Now that I am aware of the Horcruxes it is just an obstacle to overcome as I have overcome so many. You threaten to get in the way by playing around with time. You threaten everything I have spent a lifetime preparing for. I don't intend to harm you Miss Granger but I do want to stop you from creating any more problems for me."

"Then help me," Hermione pleaded suddenly. "I have to protect Harry and try and help him. He is no match for Voldemort."

"When you have nothing to lose, you lose your fear," Snape answered. "When you taste the ugliness of life and realize that there is nothing you can change about it; you lose your hope. When all you have left is your fury, then there is no turning back. I will do you a favor and spare you that journey."

"Why?" she asked in shock and surprise. "You owe me nothing. You don't even like me. You like Harry even less. What do you care?"

Snape nodded slightly. " I will find the time-turner and I will send you forward to the point in time just before Potter is killed at the Weasley wedding. I will give you what you want but the other events will have taken place. I will be a fugitive and Dumbledore will be dead and the dark lord will trust me above all others. I will have the knowledge of the Horcruxes and I will be in the position to destroy them and kill him. I will offer you Potter's life."

"What about Dumbledore," Hermione gasped, "He'll still be dead."

He shook his head. "It's obvious that Albus has outwitted us all. He now has all the information he needs in order to act. We had planned to falsify his death but I'm sure he has made other arrangements along that line. His death- real or otherwise- will take place. We both have our own agendas and I cannot change his I can only follow my own."

Hermione regarded him and wanted to rub her temples and clear her thoughts. "No...no... I have to do something..."

He was in her face so fast that she was staring into the glittering black eyes before she took another breath. There was something there that was diamond hard and she didn't doubt his words when he spoke. "I have no feelings. My heart is cold. If you get in my way or Potter gets in my way I will get rid of you."

Hermione felt her heart beating wildly and yet she braced herself and answered back, her lips very close to his own. Seen from a distance they might have been mistaken as lovers. She whispered, "I think you're making empty threats. If Dumbledore takes everything out of your hands so that you can't take your revenge, will you kill him too?" She smirked and folded her arms across her chest and stood her ground, suddenly feeling on safer ground. "Make me a warrior like yourself. Teach me...I can learn. We'll do this together. You say your heart is cold, that you seek revenge for your mother's death at his hands, but I think there is more."

"Really," he murmured with his deep resonating voice, giving nothing away in is look. "And how would you know that?"

"Because Dumbledore loves you," she answered slowly. "He sees what no one else can see. And...and you love him, too." She shrugged and stepped back and away from him, a little unsure of what she was saying and knowing that he would never admit anything to her. She summoned the energy to continue, "You try and make everyone believe that your a stone. I think there may still be a heart beating inside you and that there is more to the story then what you are willing to tell me. And if Dumbledore switched the time-turners and let Trelawney steal a fake one, then he is trying to do this all on his own. He's trying to protect you and Harry and all of us. I don't think you want him to die. I think that your agenda is about keeping him alive. I think that the reason you stay alive is to make sure he stays alive."

Snape was taken back. He took a step back and studied her. "Why would you burden yourself, Miss Granger? I will take care of this and you and your precious Mr. Potter will not have to be concerned. You are school children. You can go on with your lives and not have any cares. Everyone will think that I am the villain."

"That's if you don't believe in the prophecy," she whispered. "No matter how much everyone tries to protect Harry it always ends up that he's the target."

Snape snorted and waved his hand in the air. "Prophecy! You and Dumbledore and everyone else. Sibyl Trelawney is a fraud. She couldn't prophesize what I'm having for breakfast let alone who is going to kill the most powerful wizard of all time. Divination is a farce and I am surprised that you'd even consider it."

Once again Hermione felt mildly complimented. Her teacher was talking to her with a touch of respect. She didn't reply to his statement.

"A storm is coming Miss Granger. I must have the opportunity to do what needs to be done before it is lost. If the real time-turner is lost or destroyed or taken, then we will all suffer for it."

"You know my older self, the old woman in Godric's Hollow that was me fifty years from now, she believed in you. She told me that you died in Azkaban and you were an innocent man. If you'd let me help you now then maybe that won't have to happen. You don't have to make a sacrifice like that."

This time he stared at her with mild amusement touching his face. "I don't have time for your concern or pity."

"I will help you get the time-turner and find the Horcruxes," she replied. "I already have Draco. I used Amortentia on him."

Snape nodded. "I thought as much."

"He'll tell me where the Horcruxes are. I have Polyjuice potion that I took from Professor Slughorn's class and I can get into Professor Dumbledore's office and search for the time-turner with your help." She stopped suddenly wondering if she wasn't getting herself into trouble by revealing the information. She searched her mind frantically to find some bit of information that would force him to agree. "I know where the Half Blood prince's potion book is hidden."

He glared at her and yet she knew it hit a nerve.

"Why would you think I care?" he asked, conversationally.

"I took an oath Professor Snape," Hermione's voice suddenly grew harsh. "I think it was the same oath you took. There can be no lies between us. We have vowed to serve one another, to protect one another. I spoke those words and I'm sure you did the same. There's a lot to be done. The last two Horcruxes have to be found, the doors between Borgin and Burkes and Hogwarts have to be destroyed, and...and... we have to protect Harry. I TOLD YOU, he must be protected!"

They both felt the cold and the dread at once as if the air had grown suddenly heavy from an impending storm. They looked at each other with surprise and then had their wands out and were turned, back to back, staring out into the sunlight that had somehow dimmed and was growing dimmer.

"Professor," Hermione whispered, "Dementors? How can that be? We are in muggle London."

"Back into the wall and I will stand before you," he answered and was backing her towards the grimy brick wall of the alley.

"No, I can protect myself," she said and whipped around to stand at his side. They faced a dozen Dementors and Hermione felt her eyes sting with tears. Everything that she had been holding back; the fears, the worries, the sadness was suddenly enveloping and fogging her mind. She struggled to hold her wand before her and say the words to the Patronus Incantation.

"HE has sent them," Snape hissed. There was a moment when they stood shoulder to shoulder as the Dementors floated towards them.

"How would he know...?" she mumbled.

"Pettigrew!" Snape hissed. He pointed his wand and silently cast the spell while Hermione pointed her own wand and shouted with all of her might, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Even as they cast the Patronus charm Hermione could see the figure of a vampire in the darkening shade of the overhanging roof. He looked very much like a spider scurrying across the wall. She glanced up to see a dark disk slowly rolling over the sun. _An eclipse! _she thought. _If there are Dementors and vampires, what else is coming our way? _She was suddenly glad to have the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher standing shoulder-to-shoulder with her as the alley darkened into a caricature of a sepia picture.

--------------------

Harry met Tonks on the lawn away from the path to Hagrid's hut. It was growing cold as the sun was slowly being consumed by the eclipse. Harry felt chilled by the special. In the muggle world such a thing would be a thing of interest. In this world, an eclipse was foreboding and portentous. They walked along the border of the forbidden forest and it rustled, like the husky whisper of a dry cornfield in a breeze. They walked in silence until they reached the boundary of Hogwarts where they could apparate. Tonks took Harry's arm in order to assist him in a side-along-apparation.

"Tonks," Harry stopped her before she could start the movement that would send them to Number twelve Grimmauld Place. "Hermione's gone. She's told me this story and I can't go into details but I think she is in trouble. I don't know what to do. I want to find her but I think this is important, too."

The young woman nodded solemnly. "Right ya are, Harry. We'll spend some time at the Black mansion and when we're finished I'll go check on what's happening."

"How...who will you ask?" he asked.

She studied him carefully and then said while looking at the ground, "She's a member of the Order of the Phoenix, Harry. There is a way to track anyone who has been made a member."

"Really," he said half-heartedly, wondering for a brief moment why she had been made a member of the Order and he had not. And then he felt that familiar squeezing sensation and they disappeared in the shade of a tall oak tree and away from prying, spying eyes.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen Regret

Hermione knew they were in trouble the moment she tried to apparate and couldn't. She was particularly skilled at it and was undoubtedly the best in her class and should have been able to.

"Professor," she spoke hastily as she avoided several spells by jumping behind a dust bin and pulling him along beside. "I can't apparate!" One of the vampires was directly overhead and studying her with its very red eyes.

He nodded, his eyes taking in the scene from every direction. They were outnumbered and about to be overcome. "An anti-apparation charm, I should think," he responded calmly as if this were an everyday event. "It's the eclipse. HE has sent them after us while they are protected."

She wasn't sure what that meant but understood that they were in even graver danger then she had thought previously. She noticed they were near the street even though the sound of the cars and traffic was muffled by the Dementors and their misty effluence.

She glanced up and saw through the clouds of gray mists and swirling fog more figures arriving. This time she was fairly sure she knew what they were, wizards on flying carpets. "Oh bullocks!" she cried and once again took a handful of the man's cape and with as much strength as she could muster she headed for the street and pulled him after. He was so caught up in firing spells at the hoard of creatures and wizards that had assembled in the alley that he took very little notice except to keep moving with her at his back.

They entered the rather brighter street and Hermione hailed a cab. It was a taxi that was pulling into the curb in front of a hotel and he caught her movement and slipped in just as they emerged from the gloom. She opened the door and climbed in head first and then reached back and pulled Snape off his feet whereby he tumbled into the car and lay panting on the floor.

"Go! Go!" Hermione cried, urging the cab driver to put his foot into it. The cab took off with the door still flapping open. Without even thinking about it Hermione used her wand to slam it shut. Snape lay looking at her from the floor, his feet halfway on the seat and his head just near her knees. His wand was visible in his outstretched hand and he hurriedly shoved it into his pocket and pulled himself upright with her help.

"Hey, missy, you going to a costume party?" the cabbie asked swinging out into a faster lane of traffic. "All dressed up fer one aren't ya?"

"Yes," Hermione answered breathlessly and glanced at Snape in his wizard's robe. It was certainly the only way to account for the way they were dressed.

"Nice of ya to take yer old man wit ya, no offense mister," the cabbie chatted. "You 'aven't told me where you want to go." Snape was glaring at the driver and about to speak when Hermione shook her head slightly. Both of them were continuously peering through the back window and out the side windows. They had evidently escaped without being followed. Hermione assumed that Voldemort wasn't quite ready to let his Death Eaters show themselves publicly in muggle London.

"Number fourteen Grimmauld Place, please," Hermione said and glanced at Snape who nodded. "Do you know it?"

" Oh yes. Dicey neighborhood that. Ought to go on a trip to the seaside instead," the cabbie said without showing much interest. "Lovely time to do it what with the weather the way it's been. I mean all the fog and mist and now this 'ere eclipse.' He pitched forward and stared up out of the front windshield. "Strange but they never said anythin' about it in the news last night. And it's hangin' on longer then you'd expect. It's eerie if you know what I mean. A bit spooky. It gives me the willies."

Hermione stared up out of the side window of the cab and saw that the cabbie was right. The sun was still shielded by the round shadow. She agreed with the cabbie. It was enough to give people the willies and more if they really knew what was causing the poor weather.

She was busy trying to decide how to pay the driver when they arrived when Snape produced a small pocket purse and produced several galleons. He withdrew his wand, all the while watching the taxi driver and made a small motion and transfigured them into pounds. He handed them to her wordlessly and arched a brow as if to ask, "enough?"

She nodded and settled back into the seat all the time fingering her wand and taking in deep breaths to calm herself. _Dementors and flying carpets and vampires! _she thought. _That was an all-out attack. What did Voldemort hope to do. Kill them, kidnap them? _she wondered.

They were caught suddenly in traffic and a few impatient driver's honked their horns. Snape became very restless, shifting in his seat and staring out the window. "We have to move," he said quietly to her. "We cannot stay stationary."

Hermione nodded and touched the cab driver on the shoulder. "How much do I owe you. We're getting out here."

"It'll clear in a minute miss," the cabbie said.

"Sorry, my dad restless," she said and handed five pounds and stepped out behind Snape who had already taken tot he pavement and was moving quickly. She ran after him. "Why are we on foot?" she asked, "Isn't this dangerous?"

Snape didn't look at her but kept moving. He stopped only when she pulled him back.

"We must get out of sight and off the streets. This is temporary until he can find us again. Muggles are not going to stop him."

Hermione was conscious of the fact that they stood on a busy downtown street surrounded by shoppers and pedestrians, dressed as a witch and wizard and they were standing out. "That may be true Professor, but right now we are in more danger of being questioned by the muggle police." She glanced over at two that were striding their way. "Law enforcement," she added just in case Snape didn't understand. He glanced over at them.

Hermione smiled as they approached.

"Hello," one said at touched his cap. "Having any trouble?"

"Oh none at all officer," Hermione said and smiled. "We were looking for an address. Going to a party you see and feeling a bit out of place here on the street. Could you tell us where the nearest underground entrance is?"

The two looked at Snape and then at her and one pointed down the street. "Half a block that way Miss."

"Dad we are really late," she said and took Snape's arm. She noticed that he was gripping his wand and looking at the two policemen with the same kind of look he had often used in is classroom to intimidate students. When she used the word dad he stared at her and the eyebrow arched again. "This way, to the underground." She pulled him along, all the while smiling back at the policemen and studying the sky and the people that trailed them.

Snape immediately followed and they hurried to the stairs leading to the underground.

Hermione stopped long enough to study a map and then pushed them through the turnstiles and hurried to the platform. They hurried onto the subway car and took seats at the end. The car was almost empty after having dispersed the morning workers.

"What now?" Snape whispered in a gravelly voice. "What does this contraption do?"

Hermione glanced at him and chewed on her lip to not smile. He doesn't know what a subway is, she thought. "The car will move. It's an underground railway. We can get off in two stops and be very near Grimmauld Place."

Snape nodded and studied a couple of youths, festooned in ragged cloths and wearing rings in their ears and lips and noses. Hermione looked at what he was staring at and had to choke back a laugh. To his eyes, muggle London would look very strange.

One of them caught her eye and he wandered her way, swaggering a little as he rocked in the car. "'Ello," he said casually.

She smiled. He was about her age, a little older and not bad looking. If it weren't for the dyed black hair and the ring in his nose and lower lip he would have looked fairly normal. She actually like the small gold ring in the lower pouty lip. She was not at all taken back by his clothes which were very normal for the dress of the time.

"You wanna shake off this old man and come with us. We're going to hang out with some friends."

"That's cool, but I'm afraid I can't," Hermione said pleasantly and felt Snape bristle at the boy.

"Some cool duds you're wearing. Little old fashion though. Goth is out you know," the youth said.

Hermione smiled wider and nodded. The boy turned and left them alone. She turned to Snape who looked nervous and grim. "Everyone culture has its freaks, Professor. In this one we stand out a little more then others, but we will get by. Just don't do anything unless I say." He appeared to want to say something and she knew in her heart it was going to be one of his nastier remarks. "In this world, I am the expert, Professor."

He nodded and sat back, relaxing slightly. "It would be preferable to using magic right now. To do so would lead them to us." She nodded and he continued, "Why would someone put a ring in their lip?"

She sat back and closed her eyes and smiled slightly.

--------------------

At the same time and not far away, Harry and Tonks apparated to the street before Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. The eclipse was still causing the street lights to come on and the few people that were on the streets seemed like ghostly figures suddenly appearing out of fog. Tonks was apprehensive and had her wand out before her, partly shielding Harry's body as they studied the area to see if it was safe to proceed.

"Don't know if this was a good idea, Arry."

"Let's just get in. There aren't any protective spells on the door now are there?" he asked.

She shook her head. He closed his eyes and envisioned the house number and the rather grim exterior of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. It appeared as if shrugging its shoulders and pushing through to stand between Number Eleven and Number Fourteen Grimmauld Place. The house shook a little and then settled down firmly so that the stone stairs firmed up and they could hurry up them to the front door. With a touch of her wand, Tonks pushed open the door, shoved Harry in and stepped in behind him.

"I don't like this Harry," she said quietly glancing at the cloth covered portrait on the wall. "It's strange out there. Not at all normal. Perhaps I shouldn't have brought you."

He frowned and she put her finger to her lip and shushed him, once again nodding at the portrait. He took a breath and whispered. "Will you check on Hermione? I'm going to start searching." He looked at the front hall stairs that were so familiar and yet so foreign. It seemed very still in a house that he had only been in with other people: the Weasley's and his friends. The quiet somber atmosphere felt creepy. He started up the stairs alone and his head was filled with memories of Sirius.

He searched the house and also thought about Hermione's story. The use of the time-turner to save Sirius was one thing. He did not want to be tempted to try and do more and had destroyed it. Now as he wandered through familiar rooms he was almost regretting the act. _I could have gone back and made sure Sirius was still here at the Black mansion instead of going to the Ministry,_ he thought. _Why didn't I do that?_

He questioned the decisions he had made as he poked and prodded the contents of the house and in some cases peered under or into something with the tip of his wand. The Blacks had definitely been skilled in the dark arts. There were too many things in the house that were unknown and possibly lethal objects and he needed Tonks help.

He slowly descended the stairs to go to the sitting room when he stopped in front of Mrs. Black's draped portrait. People had been avoiding and generally putting up with this portrait for ages. He stopped, glanced down the hall where he could hear Tonks moving around and he reached for the black velvet drapes.

The moment his hand touched them his scar burned with a white fire and he was instantaneously angry. he jerked them aside and stood face-to-face with the gaunt, ugly face of Sirius' mother, Mrs. Black.

She glared at him and opened her mouth, "So it is the bastard son of that half blood witch and her pure blood traitorous husband. Oh yes, we know who you are. And we are here to proudly proclaim our right to this house and all that resides here. you are not welcome you filth of..."

He didn't wait for her to start her cacophony of rants and ravings but pointed his wand and said firmly, "SILENCIO!"

She stopped , reared back and started laughing. "You cannot silence me you worm of a rotten apple...you..."

Furious at her and all that she stood for he raised his wand and this time he didn't speak the words but thought them, "SEPTUMSEMPRA."

The spell was as effective on the portrait as it Hermione had said it had been on Draco, although Harry was thankful that he had not actually used it on Malfoy. The portrait was peeling away in shreds and the Black woman was screaming as if she were being tortured.

Somewhere in the back of Harry's mind he was aware that Tonks had come down the hall and was watching him and that the front door was opening. He could not stop the spell until it had completely shredded the portrait. At least the one that was at the front of the frame.

The one behind it was of a simple girl, rather plain but with familiar dark eyes. The girl actually smiled shyly. Her hands were placed in her lap and she sat in a chair. Behind her, standing lean and tall with flashing black eyes that had a mysterious vacant look to them, stood Tom Riddle, Sr. His hand was placed on her shoulder and she would turn, look up adoringly into the face that stared down and place her hand on his, and then turn back to the camera. The motion was repeated and there was nothing else.

"Don't touch it!" Snape said, rushing to Harry's side. "It is a picture of Merope Riddle and a Horcrux."

Harry looked at him with the same confounded blank stare and then at Hermione who had come in the door behind him and then turned to the portrait. Somehow he knew that the woman in the portrait was going to save his life.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen One Last Time

Harry and Hermione stood in the kitchen of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. They were alone. Snape was sitting on the steps that ended at the front door and was studying the now changed portrait of Merope Riddle and husband, Tom Riddle Sr. Tonks had left the house in search of Remus Lupin. They all knew they had very little time to act. The attack on Snape and Hermione was a prelude to what they could expect from Voldemort. No one had been able to contact Dumbledore.

"Hermione what were you doing? I thought that after you told us all of that...that stuff about your time travel and everything, that we would work on this together." Harry pulled out a chair from the table and threw himself into it. He looked confused and upset.

Hermione stood in the darkened kitchen outside of the circle of candlelight that lit a small area. There were tears in her eyes as she watched him.

"I thought...I thought that... you and I..." He heaved a sigh of frustration and held up a hand, "never mind."

"Go on, Harry," Hermione whispered.

"Am I just totally lost when it comes to women?" he gasped. "I thought that we understood each other."

"Harry," she cut across him and he looked up. She stood in the shadow and he could not see her expression. "It came on me so suddenly. You have to understand. You have always been my closest friend; you and Ron. I would do anything for you and I trust you completely. But something changed... ."

He stared into the dark area where she stood, his elbow planted on the table and his fist to his mouth.

She continued, "When I'm near you it feels like time stands still and there is no one else in the room, on the entire planet, besides you and me. I didn't mean for it to happen..." she said hastily, "I fell in love with you. I...I think I have always loved you. But this is so different...so strong...and after I met my other self, the old woman, and she told me that the reason she was telling us everything was that she had loved you and lost you and she couldn't bear to have it happen again. I thought that maybe she was just talking about how strong our friendship was. But then I saw you at the beginning of term feast and I just...just... loved you. More then life itself."

Harry stood and Hermione backed deeper into the darkness and continued to speak, "There was such a infinitesimally small chance that I could change the events that occurred during my time so that I could save you. She- the old woman- warned me not to make the same mistake because it led to your death the last time. But I couldn't help it..." she choked on her words and fought to continue. "The more I do, the more things change the worse it seems to get. I've trying to help... to fix it. I thought that since I knew her story and knew so much more that I could do it differently." she finished weakly.

Harry moved very slowly towards her and stopped inches away. He was a few inches taller and his warm breath gently moved the hair that fell around her face. She was looking down and weeping silently.

He reached with one hand and touched her chin and raised her head. "Hermione, I have always loved you."

She snuffed and reacted, "I'm just saying that it's ok...that I KNOW you care about me...you...you...don't...have...to"

"I mean I really feel the same way," he said. "I thought you knew."

She stared into his eyes and then closed hers when he leaned forward and placed his lips against hers. it was a sweet and tender kiss.

When he raised his head, there was a quick smile before he said, "Life has just gotten a little more complicated it seems."

She quickly wiped her wet face and smiled back and nodded.

He took her hand and led her to the table where they sat down and gazed at the single candle lighting the room. "You know I think I was just trying to ignore my feelings because...well because of Ron for one thing." She nodded again and blew out a harsh breath, still without speaking. He continued, "And then there's my life. It's not like I've ever had control over what has happened to me. Seems like everyone makes decisions for me and it's taken forever to become old enough to start making them on my own. People try to protect me and I still end up in danger." He shrugged. "I don't have much of a future, Hermione and I never wanted anyone to get hurt just because they know me. But Sirius is dead and so is Cedric Diggory and I have to believe they are not the last."

She stared at him and this time she took his hand. He squeezed back, hard.

"I thought that the way to keep from getting hurt or letting others get hurt was to not get close anymore. There's so much danger Hermione. Losing you..." he stopped and swallowed hard. "And Ron is my best friend. I just didn't want to let you get involved. Then you tell me that you've used this time-turner and you've gotten really involved way beyond anything I could have imagined and..."

She sighed again and nodded.

"Talking about involved, where were you today?" he asked gently.

She grimaced and pulled her hand away. "Okay, you're going to be upset...but just listen..."

"What?" he asked firmly.

"I went to see a soul eater," she said quickly and stood to distance herself from him. "I know. I know that it wasn't the best idea but I was trying to fix things, Harry. I thought that if I found the Horcruxes that I could find a way to destroy them and that would be an advantage."

Harry stood and growled at her, "Hermione."

"Well, I thought it would help. And now we have one of them and perhaps Snape can...can figure out what to do. He...he followed me and found me at the soul eater's." She frowned, remembering the ghoulish and disgusting man. "He was trying to help. Then we were attacked!"

"Attacked?" Harry rasped. "You see Hermione? YOU see!"

"Yes, well we're all in danger aren't we?" she snapped back. "Now we have one of the Horcruxes. My guess is that Dumbledore went for the locket in the cave by himself just to confirm that it was a fake."

"But...but Hermione, that means he could be dying...or dead!" Harry bristled.

Hermione was wringing her hands and trying to reason with him. "I would think that he would take precautions since I told him the story of the first time that you two went together...which actually hasn't happened in your time yet...but..."

Harry shook his head and collapsed back into the chair.

"I told you!" she gasped. "THINGS are all mixed up! If I could just go back in time before Malfoy found the cup and returned it to Voldemort I could get it. I gave Draco the Amortentia potion that I stole from Slughorn and I could persuade him to take me back to his house and I could get the cup. I'd already know where the portrait of Merope is and..."

"Hermione, are you insane, the time-turner is what caused all of this!" Harry argued urgently. "For a minute I was regretting destroying it, but then I realized it was this horrible temptation. I got to thinking of Sirius when I was searching the house and I thought about having the time-turner and how I might have been able to save him." He stood and leaned over the table. "If I had used it to do that then I would have thought about using it to go back to see my parents and... . Don't you see it will only make it worse." He stood erect and stared at the empty wall on the other side of the table as if suddenly shocked out of speech. "Hermione."

"I know, Harry, I've thought of those things too," she went on without hearing the change in his voice. "They warned me; Snape and Dumbledore and even Remus, but I thought that..."

"Hermione," Harry said gravely

"You see if you go back and stop something from happening...well I just didn't go back far enough." She stopped and brushed her hair back with both hands in a frantic, erratic, crazy-sort of way. "That's what Snape was saying too and...and... he was partly right. You see he...he said he'd be tempted to go back and get revenge for... . Well, it doesn't matter! We can't go back to a time before we are born otherwise we couldn't stop him because we wouldn't exist yet; we wouldn't have been born. But we could go back just after he killed your parents and warn Dumbledore or...or someone- the minister- what he was up to if that were possible. I just...just don't think that would work though. I can't go back too far because, for instance if I'm only ten years old and I come out of nowhere and try and tell Dumbledore- who is a very great wizard- that another wizard made seven Horcruxes... So it would be better just to destroy them now. Anyway, Snape said Pettigrew overheard us talking and Voldemort is now aware of the time-turner. We couldn't stop him and for sure he'll go straight to Voldemort..."

"HERMIONE! Stop it! You're going mental over this thing and it's too late! We destroyed it." He was there, directly in front of her, his hands on her arms trying to steady her. "If Pettigrew told Voldemort then you are in real danger. We need to talk to Snape or Remus or someone and get you back to Hogwarts and put a guard on you. One thing is for sure, we know what he's after now."

She was shaking her head as he turned and headed for the door.

"Harry! Stop!" Hermione's voice exploded behind him. He turned.

She touched her chest and then reached inside her tunic blouse and pulled out a long gold chain. "I couldn't...couldn't let you destroy it. It's so valuable to us."

Harry stared at the flickering gold in the candlelight and then looked at her. "That can't be the real one Hermione. I took it out of your hand and Dobby threw it into the fire."

She shook her head slowly, still clasping it in her fist. "I don't carry the real one usually. I was afraid I'd lose it. I'm...I'm sorry that I tricked you."

"He's after you!" His voice was cool. "Don't you understand the danger, Hermione. Voldemort doesn't have to find the lost Horcruxes or even worry about the ones that have been destroyed. He just has to get the time-turner and go back in time and kill us all. And his memory will be intact, too. He'll remember that Dumbledore stopped him from killing me and making me into a Horcrux. " Harry said. "He's stopped looking for me because he can go back and really finish me off along with my parents. Now we have to make sure he finds out that the time-turner been destroyed." He held out his hand. "Give it to me Hermione. This time we have to do it for real."

She shook her head. "I can't Harry. She told me that I would want to do too much, that I would make a terrible mistake and she was right. I was just supposed to keep you from going to Fleur and Bill's wedding. It's too late now. Too much has changed and I don't know how to put it right yet, but I do know that I can't destroy this and lose my chance forever to fix it." The time-turner twinkled in the light.

They both turned in the direction of the noise just as she finished speaking.

"Who's there?!" Harry asked, his wand drawn and pointed. Hermione turned in the same direction and backed into his chest. Her wand was also pointed to the dark corner.

"LUMOS," Hermione said and her wand shown brightly lighting the entire room. The corner was empty except for a bundle of rags and some unidentifiable objects wrapped inside. They turned to each other at the same time. "Kreacher!"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen Betrayal

"He knows what that we've found the portrait," Hermione gasped just as Kreacher disappeared into thin air. "He'll lead Voldemort to you and this house is not protected. She was filled with fear and horror at their discovery. She turned to Harry who was staring fixedly at her and the object she still held in her hand. She gazed down at it, her hands moving together to make the adjustment to the dial.

"Hermione don't do it," Harry whispered urgently. "Kreacher serves me, I am his master and I can call him back. Don't slip away from me...don't use that. Make the best of what we have now. The world isn't black and white. You can't make it perfect by using that thing." He was begging.

She gulped and felt the tears filling her heart and her eyes. "Harry, you'll die! No matter what we do, you end up dead! I can't let that happen."

He stepped forward and she held the time-turner up so that it was in front of them and between them. He knew that it would take one movement of her hand and it would be activated.

Harry threw out his hand as if to stop her. "Don't do it Hermione. I love you. I know I haven't had the courage to tell you before but we have time and if I am meant to die, then we have to make the best of what we have now. You can't save me or protect me. Don't you understand? It's like there's this unseen force that's not magic or anything else I understand but it controls all of it...time...circumstances...life-death. Look at what happened to Sirius. We saved him only to lose him." She looked up to see the tears in his eyes. "If I am supposed to die then I will die and you can't stop it no matter how many times you go forward or backward in time."

She was shaking her head. "I couldn't stand it, Harry. I can't be that old woman who waited fifty years just to change something that took place in an instant. I don't want to end up with another man and have his children. I don't want to lose you!"

Harry took another step and she blinked the tears away and calculated the necessary turns that she would need.

"Please Hermione, pleeeeese!"

"I know I've lied and disappointed you. Let me try and fix this."

"No, you can't," he said shaking his head. "You can't decide my destiny. You have to trust that I can kill Voldemort and stay alive. You have to trust me." His voice dropped and there was a desperate quality to it that tugged at her heart.

"Do you know who I end up with Harry if you die? Snape! That's right. The old woman lied. I saw pictures on the wall in a room. She didn't show them to us but I saw them." Hermione was sniffling now and the tears were also running down her cheeks. "He didn't die in Azkaban. Somehow we ended up together. He's been following me and protecting me. And...and he's been uncommonly nice to me recently. Anyway, it doesn't matter, don't you see we don't end up together. Do you want that to happen?!"

He was looking at her as if she had suddenly gone insane He spoke calmly and watched her.. "No. No. I just don't want you to have to start from the beginning every time something bad happens. I've learned that it's best to deal with it. What do you think would have happened if I had a time-turner when I faced the basilisk or...or... when my name came up in the Goblet of Fire or... a hundred other times when I faced obstacles that I didn't think I could overcome. All I know is that when those times came around you were there and you helped me. Don't give up Hermione. Don't give up on me. I can forgive you for lying about...that thing. These minutes that we've had together, don't erase them. We may never find them again. You are the only one...you know I'm no hero. I'm just me. I want to learn to try and love you and I'm afraid right now. " He raised his hand in helplessness and then dropped them. "I don't know what to say to convince you...to tell you how much this hurts me inside."

"Okay then." She said it suddenly, frowned, sniffed once and dropped the time-turner. "Then call Kreacher back here." Just as she said it the door opened in the kitchen and Remus Lupin stepped through followed by Snape.

Harry sighed with relief and called out, "Kreacher, I order you to appear here in the kitchen." He continued to stare at her with bewilderment screwing up his eyes.

There was a familiar pop! and the house elf appeared looking furious. Harry glanced at her and she was wiping the tears from her face and looking grim. She had hidden the time-turner inside her blouse once again. He stepped closer and took her hand. "You were winding me up about Snape weren't you?" he asked in a whisper and searched her face for an answer before turning to them and to the house elf. "We haven't finished this discussion yet."

We are under attack Harry," Remus said, the first to speak as he entered the room. "We need to leave quickly. You can come with me and Hermione can go with Severus. We need to separate and meet somewhere else. It wouldn't be good for them to catch us all together."

"Who's attacking?" Harry asked moving to the stairs to meet him and pulling Hermione along with him. Without waiting for an answer he continued. "Remus we can't leave the portrait of Merope here. If we leave it then Voldemort will get it."

"It can't be removed from the wall Harry," Remus said with frustration. "It's not worth getting caught or killed right now. There are only the four of us; two underage wizards I might add. That is hardly good enough to fight off several of his Death Eaters."

"How do you know that they have found us?" Hermione asked. Snape was staring down at them quietly, still holding the door. She glanced at him and then away and back to Lupin.

Lupin didn't answer but looked over their heads at Kreacher. Harry turned to look at the house elf, as did Hermione. "You?! Why? Why would you lead them to us?"

Kreacher glared at them and then a small smile crept onto his face. "The dark lord reigns even now. You cannot stop him. He will rid us of the half-blood filth and the muggle-born."

Harry started back down the steps and past Hermione. Lupin caught him. "No, let it go. We have to go."

Hermione studied the house elf and then turned to Harry and said, "Order him to remove the portrait from the wall."

He stared at her and then looked over to the elf. Snape and Lupin stared at her as well.

"I did a lot of research on house elves when I was forming S.P.E.W," she said defensively. "Tell him to do it, Harry. He can." They all looked at the house elf who was no longer smiling. He was backing into a corner out of the dim light of the candle.

"Do it now if you are going to do it!" Lupin hissed. There was a loud crack near the front of the house and they could all smell smoke. "Severus and I have to assist both of you in a side-along-apparation so we must hurry."

"Out the back," Snape said speaking to Lupin and nodded towards the back of the house. "They won't know where the old carriage house is. Do you remember the underground passage?"

Lupin nodded and preceded him out the door at the same time Harry turned to Kreacher.

"Kreacher, I order you to remove the portrait of Merope Riddle from the wall in the hallway. I order you to do it now." His voice gave every indication that if the house elf refused Harry would take him apart with his bare hands. There was a fury there that Hermione had never seen.

The elf began growling and mewling even as he walked past and started up the stairs towards the door. He was at the door and moving as if his limbs were suddenly smitten with arthritis when Harry picked him up by the nape of the neck and threw him down the hall. It earned him an admiring look from Snape and a frown from Hermione.

Harry responded to her look by saying, "He's probably going to get us killed Hermione so don't give me that look."

Kreacher was able to remove the portrait with ease. He swept a hand over it and then stepped back while it floated in the air.

"Do you think you should?" Lupin asked fearfully. "Severus said not to touch it. If its a Horcrux... ."

"We can't leave it Remus." He reached for it feeling slightly queasy when he touched the frame and yet it had not other ill effect.

Lupin nodded with relief and hissed, "We've GOT TO GO!"

Harry turned to the elf and said, "Get away Kreacher from the house and be ready when I call for you. If I learn that you have told anyone about this portrait I will personally behead you and add you to the collection on the wall."

Lupin grabbed his cloak, pulling at him and ran towards the back of the house where Snape and Hermione had gone seconds before. There were now more loud cracks and it seemed that the front door to the mansion was breathing in and out as someone was attempting to break through with magical spells.

They ran for a wrought-iron spiral staircase that was hidden behind a narrow doorway near the entrance to the kitchen; a doorway that was easily missed in the dim light.

Taking two steps at a time and lugging the portrait under his arm, Harry almost plunged into Lupin's back as they landed on the floor below and Remus stopped.

"What is it?" Harry asked quietly.

"Listen," Remus said. He looked at the ceiling and together they heard an explosion of splintering wood. "They've broken through. Come on!"

Lupin dashed into the darkened cellar and Harry sprinted after him not daring to try and be careful about picking his way through the dark, but praying that he would not hit a stone on the floor and stumble over a tipped over chair. They raced through the cavernous rooms and only after a moment could he see a faint light and the entrance to the cellar illuminated by dusty cobwebbed windows. They were in a tack room hung with ancient harnesses and bridles that had once been used on horses that pulled the carriages that lined the walls. They were so ancient that the typical smell of the leather and horse was gone, replaced by dust and sterile earth.

Lupin stopped and peeked around the doorway and then reached for Harry's arm. "Ready? Not a moment to lose, Harry." He huffed and then instantly they were spinning away from Grimmauld Place. Harry did not have a chance to look back or speak before they disapparated. His thoughts before disapparating were about Hermione. She had been close to using the time-turner and he wondered if he had been wrong in stopping her. In the same instant he knew that he had been right and prayed that she would not be tempted again.

-----------------------------------

Ron lay on his bed in the Gryffindor boy's dorm room and stared at the ceiling. The room was otherwise empty and it was midday. He couldn't find Harry or Hermione and once again gritted his teeth and threw himself into his day; eating breakfast alone, going to class and so on, until he couldn't stand it any longer. He made his way to his bed and dumped his books on the floor.

He knew without being told that he was an outsider in the group of three. He knew that they were all friends and that would probably never change; and yet it would change. They would grow older and they would still be together but how they felt about each other and what they did would be entirely different then it had been when they were young. He knew that until Harry faced Voldemort and all the dangers that went along with it, that his friend would be hunted. He knew that unless he wanted to run away and hide in a hole or just stop being his friend that he would face it along with him. He would be afraid and he might even die, but he could not-would not- betray him. Ron had never had a friend that had accepted him unconditionally. He kept telling himself over and over that he would never become anything to his family, to himself, if he didn't stand by him. "That's if you'd stop leaving me out mate," he murmured as he rolled on the bed and stared out at the darkening sky.

And yet he kept thinking about the moment on the Hogwarts Express when he had met Harry. He, like everyone else, knew the boy's story. Or at least thought they did. It had been discussed by the family at mealtimes when he was growing up. In his wildest dreams he never thought that he would meet someone famous. On the other hand, it was nothing like he might have dreamed about. It had been hard work.

What complicated the whole issue was Hermione. She had been difficult to live with too- at times a complete pain in the neck.. And yet, she had grown into this very pretty girl. She was smart and talented and, he realized, attractive to other boys. Ron had not wanted her interested in anyone else and yet he had not really wanted to be her boyfriend quite yet. His short excursions into dating and kissing and the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing were still fresh. He intuitively knew that being her boyfriend might lead to a lifetime relationship. He wasn't opposed to it; he was still juggling the feelings.

What was worse he had watched Harry become attracted to his sister, an attachment that was putting Ginny in terrible danger and putting pressure on him with the family. His mum and dad had always treated Harry like another member of the family but he wasn't sure that this new budding relationship was going to be easily accepted. After all, not having been around Harry as much as he had, his parents still thought of him as the Potter's son and not one of their own. And he did have some strange manners about him. being Voldemort's target did not make them happy.

Ron kicked out at the air and rolled once again. _Where are you? _he thought as he tucked his arms under each arm pit and stared at Harry's bed. _Why don't you include me? Where is Hermione. Are...are... the two of you together?_

He rolled upright and planted his feet on the floor facing Harry's bed. "Haven't I been with you through it all?" He questioned the empty bed. "Yeah me, Harry. The...the...three-headed dog and the spiders and werewolves and...and... I was there at the Ministry." He pointed his index finger at the bed for emphasis. "I was there! And now you leave me out!" You and Hermione."

He stared at the unresponsive bed and frowned. "Hermione. Is that what stands between us now? And where is she? Off to another time!" He growled out the last syllables.

He thought about the story she had told them as they were cuddling on the couch. It sounded fantastic. He had been in the Ministry. Hadn't all of the time-turners been smashed? _Who knows_, he pondered, _I had brains crawling up my arms_. "Yeah, brains, Harry Potter. I was there with brains crawling all over me because you said that Sirius was in trouble!" His sluggish energy had suddenly erupted into anger and he threw himself back on the bed feeling even more helpless.

_Horcruxes! _The word was horrifying. He had heard of it before. After all, he was a pureblood and there were things that were talked about in whispers and never in the presence of children and thought of as almost mythical. This was dark magic and dark magic was not practiced. At least that was what he had grown up learning and believing. There was a definite line that people did not cross. _Well except for Voldemort!_ he mused. _And people like the Malfoys_. _And now Death Eaters and hoards of creatures like goblins and...what is the world coming to?!_

He sat up and saw the door to the dorm swing open very slowly. He frowned and waited for the person or persons to enter. _If it was one of his dorm mates that was alright,_ he thought. _No one else would be up here to check on him yet. He'd only missed one class_.

"Who is it?" he called out when the person didn't appear directly.

And then, he was there.

_Percy!_

Ron was on his feet scrambling for his wand. He pointed it at his brother. "What do you want?!"

Percy didn't look well. His clothes hung on him. Ron noticed that they were nice clothes, better then he had ever worn at home.

"How'd you get in?"

Percy stepped in and Ron noticed the paleness of his skin. There were beads of perspiration on his face. "I've come to tell you the bad news Ron. The Minister sent me. Since I'm your brother, he thought it best coming from me."

"Tell me what?" Ron asked cautiously, his wand dipping slightly.

"It's mum," Percy said softly. "She's been taken...disappeared rather. Scrimgeour thinks that she and dad have been involved in some sort of secret group...subversive group. He says that there was talk years ago about Dumbledore having put together this secret society to overthrow the Ministry." Percy held up his hand when he saw Ron's face dark. The room was also getting darker as the light outside dimmed even further. "I know. I know that you don't want to hear it. But if you know anything about it then you need to tell me. I want to find mother."

Ron stood facing his brother, his mind a turmoil of thoughts. "Why don't you go to dad?"

Percy frowned. "You know he won't talk to me. I've been to Fred and George and they threw me out of their shop. I can't locate Charlie or Bill. But I knew that you would know. Will you come with me? There's news that she was last seen near the old Black mansion. I don't know where that's at but I believe you do."

Ron hesitated.

"Ron, she might be captured and tortured." Percy pressed the point. "Look, I'm sorry if I've been a git. The Minister has only been trying to do his job. I...I want to find her before she gets into trouble or before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gets to her. Really Ron. Won't you come with me?" Percy gasped.

Ron nodded slowly. "Right, well just let me get my cloak." He followed Percy out of the Common Room to the empty corridor. Everyone was still in class and the halls were empty. "Percy how did you get the password to the Gryffindor Tower?"

Percy was silent and moving very quickly. Ron kept pace and they slipped out the front entrance and ran towards the boundary gate. Percy stopped to turn back when Ron's pace was slowed as he gazed up at the dark sun. "We've got to hurry. Can you apparate?"

Ron shook his head and was pulled along to the boundary marking Hogwarts and the road to Hogsmeade. "Right, well I will have to help you." Percy's voice changed and he was agitated. "Just remember Ron, I'm doing this because Dumbledore has twisted everyone's thinking. He's worse then...then... Voldemort ever thought of being and he's going to get us all killed. You'll come around."

"What...what?" Ron stuttered and tried to pull away.

"Dumbledore! That's who I'm talking about," Percy shouted in his face and clung tightly to Ron's arm. "I tried to get rid of him. He needs to die!"

Ron suddenly remembered the necklace that had caused Katie Bell's sudden convulsions and illness. "You! You're the one who tried to assassinate Dumbledore! With the necklace from Borgin and Burkes." Now he began to pull away in earnest. He was close enough to see the insanity in his brother's eyes.

"You're going to show me where their hideout is," Percy screeched.

"No! NO!" Ron shouted and yanked his arm free.

Percy was too quick. "STUPIFY!" He stepped over to his stricken brother and gazed down at him. "I am so sick of all of you. You stand in the way of greatness and can't see it because you are so thick. I am ashamed to be called a Weasley." He kicked at his brother who gazed at him with hatred in his eyes. "You are going to help the Minister little brother. I gave my word and it shall be kept." He reached down and took hold of his arm and disapparated.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Harry and Lupin apparated to the boundaries of Hogwarts where they were met near the entrance by Hagrid. He and McGonagall were attempting to put out the flames that had engulfed Hagrid hut.

"Did you see 'em?" Hagrid shouted. "Snape and the other Death Eater, the blond 'aired one?"

Both Harry and Lupin were spinning in circles, wands out, while McGonagall was trying to calm Hagrid.

"What's happened, Minerva?" Lupin asked, trying to maintain a clear view through the billowing smoke.

"Death Eaters," she cried. "They've entered the castle. Hagrid, calm yourself!"

"He almost killed Fang, Professor," Hagrid snarled. He was bending on one knee examining the mutt. They were both covered in soot and small smudges of blood.

Harry studied the situation and started for the castle at a half run. This was too familiar, too much like what Hermione had described in her time travel stories. And then he saw the figure lying at the bottom of the astronomy tower and he stopped in his tracks. Lupin had followed him and came upon the figure of Albus Dumbledore at almost the same time.

"It can't be!" Harry mumbled. "He knew this could happen and he's...he's still dead!"

Figures were pouring from the entrance; both teachers and students. Daylight was dimmed by the smoke hovering in the valley from several fires. The greenhouses were ablaze along with several other small buildings.

Ginny ran up to them. Her clothes had scorch marks where spells had barely missed her and she was sweating from some exertion. "It was Snape! He killed Dumbledore. We all saw it." Neville was behind her as were Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan.

"We were just getting out of classes," Dennis Creevey said. He ran to their side speaking in a rush. "They came pouring through the school, Death Eaters and others!"

"Where's Ron?" Harry asked, searching the crowd that was forming on the grounds. His mates shook their heads. Lupin was kneeling on the ground next to Dumbledore's body. He looked up at Harry and shook his head slowly.

"Everyone inside!" McGonagall was shouting. Several other teachers had regained their wits and were herding people back into the school.

It was Lupin who waved his wand and made the body disappear. Ginny was still standing at Harry's side and she looked at him as if he had lost his mind. He searched the area around them and turned to her. "Go inside and tell the people that saw this that it wasn't Dumbledore. Tell them that I looked very closely and it was someone else."

She nodded and gave Harry one look and then turned and went inside. That left Hagrid and McGonagall and Harry standing on the grass.

"Was that Professor Dumbledore?" Hagrid asked, his voice on the edge of hysteria.

"No, it wasn't Hagrid," Lupin said.

"But Remus..." McGonagall was standing beside him her hand over her heart.

"Believe me Minerva. I was just with Severus and we were attacked. Until we can straighten this out I don't want it known that Dumbledore's body was found on the grounds. There's every reason to believe it wasn't Dumbledore." He took hold of Harry's arm and headed towards the door. "We'll explain everything later. Right now we need to get inside. Minerva you might want to send Flitwick and some others over and put out the fires in the greenhouses and make sure that Sprout is okay. Send word to Arthur Weasley and some of the other...the other people and have them meet us here," he said curtly. "We need to protect the school!"

They entered the school and Lupin turned to Harry. "Show me where this Room of Requirement is Harry. Let's make sure that we can put that portrait somewhere safe for awhile and check the school for anyone left behind."

Harry was staring at the debris on the floors and the scorch marks on the walls. He could hear the sound of excited voices filling the Great Hall. Even though Hermione had told them that Dumbledore would die he was still not prepared for the shock of it. "Do you think that that was really Dumbledore?" he gasped as he raced up the stairs with Lupin on his tail.

"I don't know, Harry." Lupin looked even paler then he normally did. "It looks like Voldemort is attacking on a number of fronts and we need to get some information and decide what to do. If it's centralized and just around Hogwarts then we will stand firm here."

"But they were at..." Harry stopped and looked back over his shoulder to see if there was anyone around, "...they were at Sirius' house."

Remus nodded and said in a hoarse whisper, "We've been betrayed by one of our own, Harry."

Students were drifting out of classrooms on the upper floors, most unaware that the school had been under attack. They called out to Lupin as he and Harry passed.

"Hello, Professor!" a Hufflepuff called. "Are you coming back to teach?" And so it went as they made their way to the seventh floor.

"Where do you think Professor Snape and Hermione went?" Harry asked as they came to the hallway and he stopped. "Here! It's here."

Lupin stopped and looked at the wall. "I don't know Harry. I think we can trust Snape to keep her safe."

Harry was glaring at him and having a hard time concentrating and visualizing the right thoughts to make the door appear. He had never known Hermione to act like she was acting and her last words to him were that she had ended up being married to Snape and having his children! If there was anything that he could do to stop that from happening he was willing to do it. He just needed to find her first.

"I thought you said a door would appear?" Remus commented. He had his hands on his hips staring at the empty wall.

Harry shrugged and turned and paced before the wall. _I need to hide this picture_, he thought_. I need to hide this picture so Voldemort can't find it. _The door finally appeared as they heard voices coming down the hallway.

They stepped in and Harry was relieved to see it was the room full of objects that had been there when he hid the Advanced Potions book. He set the portrait down beside small bejeweled Indian elephant that stood waist high, it's beady dark eyes glaring at him and covered it with a cape that resembled Ron's formal attire; something that was centuries old and rotting. He saw that the hem was shredded and sparkling jewels dropped out as he lifted it with the end of a broken staff. He dropped it over the portrait.

"We need to find that cupboard that Hermione told us about Harry," Lupin said lighting his wand. "Good heavens, this is quite the room!"

Harry told him about the peculiar attributes of the room as they chose an aisle and began to explore. "So it turns into whatever you need it for at the time..." he said as he ducked under a bridge of stacked furniture. "...it was the room where I taught Defense Against the Dark Arts lessons to some of the students."

They were in close quarters and he stopped and faced Lupin who was a step away. Remus was shaking his head in amazement. "Let's just follow the rubbish that's been recently disturbed Harry. We need to shut up that cupboard before anyone can use it again."

"Remus," Harry said suddenly, as he stopped and listened. There was no sound in the room except the rustling of mice in and amongst the scattered debris. "We could get a message to Hermione and Snape and have them use the cupboard as a way into Hogwarts. That's if we seal off the grounds."

"Good idea," Lupin said. "Let's just find the damn thing first."

"Right!" Harry replied. "Then, we need to find Draco Malfoy!"

Snape put his index finger to his lips and indicated that they were to remain quiet. They had apparated into a kitchen at Spinners End. It was his summer quarters and still held his belongings. He'd chosen it in the muggle district because it made a good hideaway and he didn't need much in the way of creature comforts to satisfy his needs.

"We're back at your home aren't we?" Hermione sniffed and then frowned. The kitchen itself was filthy and hadn't been used in years. Something resembling cockroaches were crawling here and there.

"I'm going to go check the rest of the house," Snape whispered so softly that Hermione had to bend in to listen.

He left and moved through the dark house like a cat tracking a mouse. He made no sound, someone would be hard-pressed to even tell that he was breathing. His wand was up and he held it as if an attack were eminent. Finding the house empty, he returned to the kitchen to find it slightly less dirty and with no bugs running around over the cupboards

He raised his eyebrow at Hermione who shrugged and said, "I couldn't help myself." She brushed her robes and then whispered, "Are we alone?"

He nodded and replied, "We must move on to another place fairly soon. I'm going to go out and see what I can find out. You need to stay here." She frowned again and looked as if she wanted to argue. "Don't try and follow Potter and Lupin right now, Miss Granger. We are safer if we stay separated and are not all gathered in one place."

"So you want me to stay here," she repeated and looked around the kitchen once again, looking uneasy.

"Yes." Snape waited a moment longer. "Any questions?"

She straightened her shoulders and glared at him. "I think I've got it, Professor!" Her tone was sarcastic and rude.

"Miss Granger," he said quickly. "I think that you're probably quite capable of taking care of yourself in the event someone shows up unexpectedly. However, in the event..."

"Friends of yours perhaps?" she asked, cutting in and interrupting him. "Dark friends?"

He raised an eyebrow and studied her in the dim light of a single candle. "Are you going to visit the soul eater again, Miss Granger?" His tone was just as sarcastic.

She glared at him and said, "All right, I get your point. I'll stay here."

He left the room once again with his cloak billowing out behind him.

------------------

In a little bungalow a man with salt and pepper hair, more dark then white, stared down at his wife. He was old but still stood slim, straight and tall. He'd never really given up wearing black, a color he preferred, but when at home he chose comfortable slacks and usually a long-sleeved shirt tucked into them. He still looked many years younger then he really was and even his face did not give away his age. He stood in the doorway of the room he used to mix potions in. People came from long distances, even from different countries, to purchase his elixirs and potions.

"So they have been here to visit. It has now been several days. Do you suppose we are at Spinner's End right now," the older Snape asked his wife Hermione.

She nodded and looked at him sympathetically. "I'm so sorry that you are suffering over this, Severus."

"Suffer?" he asked, coldly, "My wife loves another man. I have known about this for fifty years Hermione, why should you be concerned about this now?"

She stood and walked to him and raised up on tiptoes to kiss his lips. "You have had me for this lifetime and I have done what I could to love you, to give you children and to never discuss this. Now, let the other Hermione have Harry for her lifetime."

"If this works then we will have no children; we will not be married." He growled in his typical way. "You're willing to erase a lifetime!"

"Do I need remind you that your heart was already given to Lily Potter long before I was even alive? So we have loved others and we have loved each other," she said gently. "I need to put this right. I have waited fifty years to put it right."

He stepped closer and embraced her and gently kissed her lips before he spoke again. "You tried to do that and it always failed. I love you. The Amortentia potion wore off a few months after you gave it to me and I have loved you even after. When you are in the room I find it hard to breath. My heart still beats wildly when I see you standing in the garden and the sun is on your face. How can you destroy our lives together and accept a life that may be completely different- terribly different?"

Hermione smiled and stroked his cheek. "I gave you the Amortentia to save your life. And really dear, I did not regret it later. I love you as much and maybe more then I ever did. Still, it is only right; I have to give him a chance don't you see? If I had not interfered at all except to make that one little change as I was told to do, to be late for that wedding a half hour, it would have all been different." She kissed him again. "Now, will you go to her?"

She handed him the gold chain with the time-turner.

"She won't listen to me- you won't listen to me-you never have," he grumbled.

She dropped the gold chain over his head and covered the time-turner with her hand as she leaned her head into his chest and listened to his heart beating. She closed her eyes and tried to take in the moment and remember it for the rest of her life. A lifetime that undoubtedly would change completely when he had finished his task.

He groaned and held her close and they stood there for a long time. They had had this discussion before and he had agreed, feeling that he had been fortunate to experience a lifetime of peace with this woman.

He finally pushed her gently away and picked up the time-turner on his chest and gave it the exact amount of turns before activating it.


	19. Chapter 19

Dear Reader: My apologies for abandoning this story and leaving it unfinished. I have decided that it is unfair and will be finishing it up. I appreciate the comments you have left. After I had a story stolen from me I lost interest in fanfiction and I went and wrote a novel. Hopefully it will be published. If so, I shall post my real name on the site. I also have another unfinished story that I will complete as well as go back and edit the rest of them- they need it badly! So I hope you enjoy this chapter and take the time to leave a comment. Thanks Nathasha

Chapter Nineteen

Hermione stood in the kitchen at Spinner's end chewing on her thumb and making a meal of it. She hated doing nothing. She was just thinking about her next step when she heard a movement behind her. She spun around, wand in hand, and stopped.

Standing before, looking as if he had dusted himself in old age, was Snape. She knew immediately who he was, his older self, coming back from the future.

"What...what...?" she gasped.

He ignored her and started moving around the table before them. He used his wand as only an artist could and set the table with a cloth, sparkling goblets and dinnerware. He waved it again and produced a bottle of wine and a set of serving dishes. Delicious aromas began to waft their way towards her.

"In my lifetime," he said, now stopping to look at her, his eyes gentle and loving, "you want to go to Hogwarts tonight. The Horcruxes are now all gathered there. When I return to the kitchen I find a dinner prepared." He waved his hand over the table. "You tell me what you want to do and I refuse."

He walked around the table to stand before her. She looked into the older face and saw something there that made her swallow hard. The man was in love with her. It was clearly written in the expression on his face.

"Hermione," he began again and held out his hand, palm up. "Give me the Amortentia potion. I know you carry it with you."

She reached in her pocket, still watching his face and handed it to him. There was no argument, no question.

He grasped her hand in his own and took the vial and held it for a moment studying her with his eyes. He turned and walked back to the table and emptied the contents in one of the goblets. Without turning back he continued, "Since I do not agree to your wishes you use the Amortentia potion and when I drink it and I am smitten. I agree to return to Hogwarts and we leave."

This time he did turn. "Beware, that a man's love is not a boy's love."

"What happens?" she whispered. "What happens then?"

"Don't you know Hermione?"

She shook her head, still stunned by his presence, his attitude towards her and the information.

He smiled. It was a pleasant smile and not the usual smirk. The smile softened his face. "Yes, you do know. My wife...the other Hermione told you. She sent me to you tonight in case you were going to be stubborn. You know this."

Hermione nodded. "So nothing changed?"

He nodded. "In my lifetime, you and I go into hiding. We begin to hunt dark wizards and after many years we marry and have children."

"And Harry?" she mumbled, her mouth dry with fear.

"Ron Weasley is kidnapped by his brother Percy," Snape said softly. "He takes him to Lord Voldemort to ransom his mother, Molly Weasley, who is even now held prisoner by the Dark Lord. Mr. Potter goes to try and rescue him."

"He does?" she asked and knew what the answer was before he spoke.

"He dies, as does Percy and Molly Weasley. Ron Weasley escapes but is forever changed by the deaths of many of his family members. His sister survives and is forced to marry a pureblood as are many other pureblood women. She marries Neville Longbottom and has children and later is killed in a revolt that is unsuccessful."

Hermione stepped to the table and dropped into a seat and stared at the table. She was no longer hungry.

"Remus Lupin dies," he said, " if you are wondering about him and I know you are. It was a rather horrible end, that even I did not wish on him. There is no one that you can turn to any longer. The Weasley twins die at Azkaban."

She stared at him through the tears that sparkled like diamonds on her lashes. "Dumbledore?"

"He is already dead. Malfoy took Polyjuice potion and transformed himself into me this evening. He killed him in the tower. So you see, to some degree I was responsible for Albus' death or I will be held responsible for his death by the Ministry. I will be a hunted man and you? You will be hunted as well by Voldemort who knows that you are the only living person besides myself that knows about his Horcruxes." Snape shook his head with regret, a movement that looked as if it had been done a hundred...perhaps a thousand times.

"All of them...Moody...Remus...they all die?" she asked, her voice almost a sob.

He nods in silence.

"So what she told me does come true. Voldemort does take over."

"He reigns for many years and changes the face of our world," the older Snape said. "He is eventually killed. You and I help to bring that about. The Horcruxes are found and destroyed. The wand is found with the others at Hogwarts in the Room of Requirement. But it isn't until years later."

"So why can't we go now and destroy them before he takes over?" she asked, looking suddenly excited. "Why didn't you come back sooner and we could have gone and destroyed them."

He shook his head and studied her with curious eyes. "Even now Hermione you fail to understand. Dumbledore brought the last Horcrux to Hogwarts and then dies. They are not altogether. If I were to arrive sooner and we were to fail to find the wand, then even one Horcrux that is left whole is enough to keep Voldemort alive and invincible. If I arrive later, you and my former, younger self would already be on the way to Hogwarts and we would not be having this conversation. Voldemort has already started his war and has taken it to the grounds of Hogwarts. We do not discover the means to destroy the Horcruxes until much later."

"But you know now!" she exclaimed. "You know how to destroy them now. We don't have to wait. We can find the last one-the wand-and destroy it."

He shook his head once again. "I cannot go with you. There cannot be two of me. It doesn't work that way."

"So tell me how to destroy them," she said, standing abruptly and leaning over the table.

"I can go alone and do it."

He shook his head again.

"Why not?"

"You are captured immediately after we arrive at Hogwarts. I go after you to rescue you," he said. "That's why you don't go with your friend Potter, that's why we do not destroy the Horcruxes immediately. The wand disappears for a time. It is only later that it is found."

She glared at him, ignoring his last remarks. "After all of these years, you still call him Potter."

"The one you truly love," he said.

"And you didn't love someone else?" she exclaimed haughtily. "Lily Potter? If it wasn't for the Amortentia potion you and I would never have stayed together. You are old enough to be my father...and...and I don't like you!"

She pulled the chain from around her neck and withdrew the time-turner. It glittered seductively in the light of the candles set on the table.

He laughed and the sound startled her so that she looked up.

"This," he said, holding up a time-turner, "is the only one that works. I bring it from the future. If you thought to use that one then you will be in for a surprise."

Hermione sat down again and stared at him and the time-turner in his hand.

"Hermione, give it up. You may not love me now, but you will. The Amortentia potion wears off after several months and I no longer need it to feel love for you as well. We are survivors who need each other to lean on." He came around the table and reached for her hand. "I warned you that you cannot meddle with time."

"Then what's it all for? Why did your wife...why did I even try to change things?"

He shook his head.

She yanked her hand from his grasp and glared at him They both heard the noise at the same time.

"It is me," he said. "I need to leave."

"No!" she gasped and stood reaching for his shirt to hold him. It was too late. He activated the time-turner and disappeared.

The other Snape entered the room and surveyed the table that lay before them.

"I...I was hungry," she mumbled wiping away at her eyes and turning away from him. "I was tired and needed some rest. I thought we could have some supper before we...before we leave."

"And where do you purport we go?" he asked.

She could hear a chair scrape against the floor.

"Hogwarts," she answered.

There was an unmistakable huff of disbelief. "That, Miss Granger, is not going to happen."

She reached for the time-turner that still hung from her neck and listened as she heard him sip from the goblet on the table. She leaned against the chair and closed her eyes, the tears running down her cheeks unnoticed. She turned, the jewel still grasped in her hand and looked at him.

His dark eyes were looking into the ruby liquid of the glass. He licked his lips once and looked up at her. The transformation in his eyes was unmistakable.

"Hermione?" he gasped and rose.

She looked down at the time-turner, sobs shaking her body and turned it.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

She stood at the curb in front of her house, dressed in a very pretty gown. She was dressed for the wedding. And although the day was beautiful, the sun shining and the street active with people mowing their lawns, children riding their tricycles and women gossiping in the front gardens, she was not happy.

She reached to touch the hidden jewel that lay in the small crevice between her breasts and sighed once again. She had done nothing to change what she knew was about to happen; but she remembered it all.

This time her intent was to change one minor detail as her former older self had advised. This time she was going to make sure Harry did not arrive at the wedding. Actually, her older self advised that she stop the wedding which she had not been able to do. If nothing else, it was enough to keep Harry from it, she finally decided.

The weeks after arriving home from Spinner's End had been horrible. She'd lain awake for many nights pondering the events that had occurred and her own obsession with the time-turner. She came to realize it's danger and it's hold over her. No matter how much she wanted things to turn out differently, changing time did not work. And- she realized- the more she used it the more she wanted to use it; because she hated getting things wrong.

One of Harry's remarks had gotten her thinking about all of it. If she could go back in the past, why not go back and stop Voldemort from trying to kill his parents. Why not save Sirius from Azkaban or Lupin from being bitten by his werewolf sire? And why not change other things? It all became so ridiculous after awhile. She shook free from the thoughts-hadn't they tried to rescue Sirius only to have him die anyway?- rolled over in bed and cried herself to sleep.

Her older self had not discussed the possibilities that might arise if she arrived at the wedding later, just that it would allow Harry to survive.

Hermione had gone back in time, spent months embroiled in all kinds of events including having Draco Malfoy in love with her and the bottom line was; nothing that had occurred had really occurred. Dumbledore was still dead, Voldemort was still very much alive and they all faced an uncertain future. She knew what the Horcruxes were and where they were hidden-for the most part- and she would help Harry in his quest to destroy them and rid the world of Voldemort. Along the way she might judiciously even use her knowledge gained from her time travels to move things along more quickly. However, she had learned her lessons and she wasn't going to use the time-turner again.

Still, having returned back to a time where nothing had really happened yet- other than Dumbledore had died- did not relieve her of anxiety or tell her what her future held. She still had very strong feelings for Harry that she could not tell him about. She could not act to save Ron if Percy tried to kidnap him, nor could she warn him, since that event might or might not occur. All she could do was stop Harry from getting to the Burrow.

_Would the wedding continue without him or me? _she wondered. _Probably_. She had sent a letter to Remus Lupin. A rather benign letter she thought. In it she had asked one question and one only: _Is it wise for all of us to be in one place at the same time for a wedding? _

Hermione thought that it was a reasonable question and probably one she would have thought of and asked even if she had not had the experiences she had had. In the meantime, she had spent the time writing her customary summer letters to Harry and Ron and had received Fleur Delacour's written wedding invitation with enclosed picture of her and a very scarred Bill Weasley and thought about how she was going to distract Harry.

She had not received a reply to her letter to Remus and so had planned to attend the wedding on the date and time indicated on the card, which happened to coincide with Harry's birthday. She now stood at the curb waiting for a taxi to take her to Little Whinging. She turned and waved one last goodbye to her parents and then stepped into the cab as it pulled away from the curb.

The driver smiled at his pretty passenger and asked her destination and then pulled out. Hermione had planned to stop at Privet Drive, pick up Harry, find a benign and hidden area and transfer to the Knight bus. At least that was the plan up to a point.

The only concern at the moment was getting Harry away from the Dursleys. It was, after all, his birthday and there was no doubt in her mind that he was being watched. Lupin had not contacted her to tell her that he had already made up a plan to get Harry away from his Aunt and Uncle's house even though she had mentioned in her letter that she intended to stop by to pick him up.

The Death Eaters and most likely Ministry wizards, an army of wizards and witches, would be watching him. For that reason she had brought along the Polyjuice potion that she had managed to steal from Slughorn's class. Of the three vials, there were two left and one included the Felix Felicis potion or the good luck potion. There was enough in both vials for two people.

She had not discussed her plans with Harry other than she was going to pick him up and go with him to the Burrow for the wedding.

The house was like all the others on the street and she could identify it only by the number on the post at the front of the garden. Unlike her neighborhood, people were not happily mingling in the street, nor were children playing there. It was all very quiet given that it was a Saturday. Hermione exited the cab and studied the avenue with its' bare sidewalks and lack of trees. The sun was hot and reflected off of chrome surfaces and sparkling clean windows and radiated from the concrete. Hermione stood at the street and looked up at the top floor window. Harry was there watching her. He disappeared immediately.

She hurried to the door and raised a fist and knocked as she continued to scan the street.

She heard a rustling and then a very fat, red-faced man opened it and stared at her, glancing once at her gown.

"Who are you?" he gasped.

She smiled, raised her wand and stunned him, and then immediately stepped into the shadows of the entryway and closed the door. She could hear a woman talking to someone in the kitchen towards the back of the house. She stood for a moment and saw Harry coming down the stairs.

"Hermione! What have you done?" He was at the foot of the stairs staring down at his Uncle. His trunk and belongings were up against the front foyer wall.

"Harry we have to leave quickly. There will be wizards watching the house." She stepped past him and moved towards the kitchen. In a minute she had returned. He was still standing where she had left him, looking stunned.

She faced him squarely and held out a glass for him and held one in her other hand while she withdrew the vial of Polyjuice potion. "I've had a lot of time to think things through Harry. I don't have a dozen wizards waiting to guard you and help you get out of here. It's just me and you."

"But...but..." he stuttered.

"Come on Harry!" she pleaded and shoved the glass in his hand and poured half the glutinous liquid into it. "It's your birthday and that means the protection is gone or will be by midnight. We have to leave now."

"I was going to tell you how pretty you look," he mumbled and studied the glass in his hand.

His words stopped her and for a moment she wanted to hug him and let all of her feelings out. She wanted to explain. She wanted to enjoy the look of pleasure that had been on his face when he saw her through the upstairs window.

"Harry," she bit her lip and then stood firm. "We don't have a chance unless we leave now. The street is clear and I think something is going to happen the minute we open that door. I don't know if just the two of us can handle it. If we leave looking like your Uncle and Aunt then maybe they will be fooled. For just a minute or two. I can drive your Uncle's car until we are clear and then we can hail the Knight bus somewhere along the way and ...and...It can't be safe yet for you to apparate and I can't do a side-along," she said now gasping for breath. "Just drink up for heaven's sake!"

He nodded. "Yeah, yeah, you're right. Since Dumbledore's dead I don't think anyone is in charge. I haven't heard from anyone about coming to fetch me." He tipped the glass and swallowed the puckish liquid down. She waved her wand and changed her clothes to those she had found on the woman in the kitchen and then did the same to Harry in the nick of time. His very small frame suddenly exploded into that of the gargantuan man that lay at their feet.

She swallowed her potion and her eyes watered with the bitter taste of it.

Harry studied the street from the window at the side of the door and then nodded to her. "I think it's safe."

"Leave your luggage, Harry. We'll see if we can't have someone come back for it. What about Hedwig? Safe?"

He nodded again. "Sent her ahead to the Burrow. I had her take my broom or I could fly out of here." He opened the door for her. "Do you know how to drive a car, Hermione?"

"As a matter of fact I have my license," she said out of the side of her mouth.

He gaped at her for a moment and it was a rather unusual look based on the fact he was transformed into his Uncle.

They entered the car without mishap and Hermione was able to start it and back into the street.

"Hermione you're acting like we are in the middle of a war. Don't you think Remus would have warned me or sent someone to fetch me if there were that much danger?"

"Really, Harry?" she said under her breath, checking the rearview mirror and putting her foot into the pedal. "I would have thought so too. So if he hasn't , perhaps that means that something has happened to him," she growled and then bit her lip. "Sorry, but I can't help thinking that they've all gone and lost their heads what with Dumbledore dead. I mean Lupin knows what danger you're in and Hagrid or McGonagall... Anyway it's safer to have your wand ready."

He shrugged down in his seat and stared straight ahead. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I was hoping that I could have one last day, one day to enjoy with you and Ron and..."

He didn't finish his sentence. Wizards began popping into the street in front of them and began firing spells at the car.

"So much for not using magic in front of muggles," Hermione breathed. The attack told her that her hunch had been right. Voldemort didn't care anymore if the two worlds- muggle and wizarding- were breached. She pushed the car as fast as it would go while Harry pointed his wand and shot spells back. He did so silently and she was impressed with his skill. he had been practicing, it was obvious.

It was also clear that the wizards chose the wrong ground to start their fight. They were not used to being in the muggle street where cars could run you down . It was also slightly amusing to realize that they weren't aware that a stunning spell had no effect on a metal machine. Hermione burst through the line and felt the impact of soft bodies as she steered down the street. The sunny day had suddenly become dark and gloomy. She felt the cold of Dementors and gripped the wheel tighter.

_Maybe I don't have to think of a way to keep Harry from going to the wedding, _she thought_. We might not even survive getting out of Little Whinging._

The jewel of the time-turner burned her skin and she chose to ignore it. _No Hermione- No! Don't use it_! she shouted inwardly. _If you make it through this, then you make it through. If you don't then you don't, but the time-turner can't help you out of every situation._

All at once they were clear and speeding into traffic at a major intersection. An hour later they were leaving the city and the transformation back to their own bodies had begun. Minutes later they were themselves.

Hermione laughed when she glanced over at Harry. He was swimming in clothes that were too large. Even the clothes that Harry's Aunt wore were to large for her. She pulled to the side of the road in a clearing and pulled out her wand.

"Well, we survived that," she said and waved the wand over them. They were back in their party clothes.

"Thanks, Hermione," Harry smiled slightly and stared down the road. It was obvious that the smile was superficial. There was nothing to be smiling about.

She felt the same way. "I'd planned to catch the Knight bus, Harry. But, I'm not sure that's the safest thing to do right now. Do you have any suggestions?"

"Yeah," he started hesitatingly, "why don't you go ahead and I'll catch up."

She glanced at him and was already shaking her head. "No way! You can't get there by yourself. If you apparate the Ministry can track you and if you take the Knight bus there surely will be someone who has thought of that and will be watching it. And where will you go? Nowhere is really safe. Especially since they attacked us right out in muggle public." She waited and he seemed to be ignoring her and staring at nothing in particular. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to protect her. "I'll ...I'll drive us to the entrance to Diagon Alley. We'll go through the Leaky Caldron."

"What then?" he mumbled.

"We can get word to someone," she said quietly.

"I knew this was going to happen, Hermione," he said finally. "You knew it, too. I've always been a hunted man. Without Dumbledore's protection and the spell on my Aunt and Uncle's house I would have been caught long before now. And even if Lupin had come or sent Tonks or Mad-Eye, then I would have to stay in hiding, like Sirius did. Who knows for how long. It drove him mad, Hermione and it'll do the same to me."

"What do you propose to do? Give up? That's not like you at all Harry."

"No, I won't give up, but I can't take anyone into hiding with me," he replied. "I can't take care of you and me at the same time nor can I worry about you getting hurt. The less you know about what I intend to do the better. Voldemort knows that you are my friend. You have to keep yourself safe and go to Ron and do the same for him. I don't want you taken hostage and tortured for real so that I will be forced out into the open."

She sat looking at him stunned. She knew that he was serious and would not relent. She turned back to stare out of the windshield at the large tree that sat at the side of the road, shading them from the sun. She had the information he needed. She had lived through several lifetimes in a few short months and she knew what he needed to do. If she told him, then there was a chance she could help him survive. If she didn't then he would be on his own and odds were against him, against them all.

She had, however, completed her task. They were now late for the wedding. He would not die there.

She reached up and touched her chest and felt the time-turner and began to speak. "I know where the Horcruxes are Harry and I know how to destroy them..."

An hour later she pulled the gold chain up and showed him the time-turner. "So you see. I've told you everything I know that's happened. Of course, things may have changed just because we didn't show up for the wedding." She shrugged and continued, "If you go to Knockturn Alley and go to Borgin and Burkes you might still be able to get to Hogwarts through the cabinets that Draco used to get the Death Eaters through. The Horcruxes will be in the Room of Requirement. I'll meet you at Godric's Hollow and bring the soul eater."

"He'll take money for destroying them?" Harry asked.

Hermione nodded wisely, knowing that she had told him a lie about the soul eater. She fully intended to make the necessary payment to the soul eater by offering herself as a walk-in. It was all she could do to not retch when she thought about the repulsive maggoty man. "You have money Harry. Sirius left you his family fortune. All you have to do is sign a note so that I can get it out of his vault. I'll take care of that."

"This is all so hard to believe, Hermione," Harry whispered. "Snape and...and my mother and..."

She didn't let him finish. She started the car and pulled out into the driving lane and headed for the middle of London.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty One

Remus Lupin stood at the very fringes of a field that stretched across a wide expanse. With his very keen eyesight, he could barely make out the shapes of the little house and out buildings that were the Burrow and the Weasley's home. From all intents and purposes, it appeared that a party was in progress, with gaily colored tents and flags cluttering in the small garden and lawns that surrounded the little house. He could even hear with his wolf hearing the sound of music.

He smiled for only a moment and then turned to Arthur Weasley. "The boys are doing a fine job Arthur." He was referring to Fred and George who had done a great deal of work in their back shop and had conjured up what appeared to be musicians playing music and house elves preparing tables and linen. It was all an illusion created by the twins using various devices and some very sophisticated transfiguration magic. McGonagall had supervised the whole thing and actually played a very small part . She was also pleased at their work.

The party had not yet started.

"Do you have everything in place?" Lupin asked and Mr. Weasley nodded. "Tonks is going after Harry and Hermione now?"

The ginger-haired man nodded again. "I still don't like the fact that they were left in the dark, Remus. They aren't children anymore and based on what happened at the Ministry of Magic in the Department of Mysteries I think we could have relied on them to stand in their own defense."

Lupin nodded, his eyes still studying the landscape. "I agree Arthur. They are much more skilled then the average seventeen year olds. Still, there are so few of us and there are so many of them that our chances are slim. That's if Voldemort takes the bait at all. Even Hermione sent me a letter this summer wondering why we would all get together for a wedding when it presented such an easy target for the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. Perhaps it is too obvious."

Mr. Weasley shifted on his feet and folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, I don't know about that Remus. Voldemort has nothing if not a huge ego, as do the rest of them. Malfoy and his thugs broke up the World Cup Quidditch party if you'll remember. With Dumbledore out of the way he'll want to show off. His attack on us would be a launching platform for him to take over the wizarding world."

Lupin nodded. "However, our job is not to confront Voldemort head-on. None of us have the skills to match his. Everyone knows that we are to attack-run-hide-attack. Right? We are to play a cat and mouse game. Draw him out and make him use his forces and scatter them. It is what the muggles call guerilla warfare."

Arthur's eyes lit up at the mention of the muggle word. "Yes, I wonder why they call it that?" he murmured and then said, "Yes, we all have rehearsed and planned now for several months. Shacklebolt and Moody will be leading their group and we can count on them. McGonagall, Molly and I will take the others. Bill and Fleur and the others will be in charge of the young ones. It's all taken care of. We'll spread them so thin that they can't attack in force."

"The children...the young people have practiced apparating? No one is to be left behind."

"Yes, Remus. We have done all we can do."

"The Ministry?"

"Off chasing their tails," Arthur replied.

"Umbridge?"

"I have dealt with her personally." Arthur's face reddened and he turned away for a moment.

"Good." Remus said and sighed. "Tell Ron that he shouldn't feel bad about telling us about the prophecy and the Horcruxes. Heaven knows that we would be in worse shape if we hadn't known."

Arthur nodded. He smiled slightly, proud of his youngest son. Ron was courageous, maybe not the best student, but a loyal friend and a courageous boy. Arthur could not have asked for more. "You'll have to watch out for Fenrir you know," he mumbled.

Remus nodded. "I've been waiting a long time to take care of that problem."

"Just be careful."

Lupin turned and smiled at him. "The same to you."

"You know don't you that Harry still doesn't know about Snape," Arthur said.

Lupin frowned. "Yes, well that can't be helped. I trust that Snape can take care of himself. He should have known that Voldemort would double-cross him. Now, there isn't a wizard or witch that wouldn't know his face and think he is a murderer. The Daily Prophet did a job of spreading that around. However, if we all manage to survive this then I shall let them know that he is innocent of Dumbledore's murder."

"It's a good thing he came to you directly," Arthur said, now frowning himself. "I don't like him and never have. But if he knows how to destroy the Horcruxes then I will keep my silence. Who would have thought? A soul-eater!" He shuddered involuntarily and glanced at Lupin who was nodding in agreement.

"My sentiments exactly."

"You've found...ummm...you have a suitable means to pay...to pay the soul-eater?" Arthur stammered.

Remus' face grew grim and he took a moment before answering. "Yes, I think I do. There are a lot of terrible things in this world Arthur, including the Dementor's kiss. However, I would not wish this on anyone. However, Snape is confident he can kidnap her and use her as payment."

"Lestrange?" Arthur managed.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Remus replied. "Perhaps it is suitable revenge for killing Sirius. I know he would think so. But still... in times of war there are all kinds of victims, even witches as evil and mad as Bella." He grimaced and grew quiet. They stood in silence for several minutes.

Then there was a faint pop! and a small creature with the bulging eyes and large floppy ears appeared in front of them. Remus looked down and smiled at him kindly. "The house elves are ready then Dobby?"

"Dobby has them all ready Professor."

Lupin shook his head slightly. He had not been able to persuade the elf to call him anything but professor even though it had been a long time since he had taught at Hogwarts. "Good. Good Dobby."

"Hagrid and his brother are still at Hogwarts, Remus," Arthur said and stared at the elf absentmindedly. "Do you have further orders for him?"

Remus shook his head. "Not yet. I think eventually this will end up on the grounds of Hogwarts, and I don't know why that is, but I want him there keeping an eye on things. Having a giant...having Hagrid's brother on our side isn't so bad."

"No, you're right about that," Arthur agreed.

"Dobby you can go now," Remus said staring out at the field again. "Things should start happening soon." Dobby disappeared immediately, leaving them standing in the hot sun.

"We should be hearing about Hermione and Harry about now, don't you think?" Arthur asked shifting his weight and turning back to the graying man at his side. "We've just got to know that they are safe before this all begins."

Remus shrugged. "I can only do so much. Tonks will keep track of them and intervene if necessary. I don't want to make him a prisoner just to keep him safe. He'd fight that and do something rash that would put him in even worse danger. You know Harry."

Arthur nodded and sighed deeply again. "The eve of battle. It has come to this at last. Eighteen years ago we all thought that we'd have to fight a war and then the threat simply disappeared into thin air and we all heaved a sigh of relief. Of course, we lost people then...Lily...James." He glanced at Remus. "And we've even suffered losses this time, what with Sirius and Dumbledore and all. I'm really sorry Remus. It seems that you suffered more than others. You and Harry that is."

Lupin nodded. "Don't worry about me Arthur. I have known grief and sorrow my whole life. It doesn't make it easier but at least I think I can bear it better than Harry. Promise me that you will take care of him if something happens to me."

Arthur Weasley clucked, "Now, now Remus. We must trust each other. I expect that you will be there for my family in that case, too."

Lupin nodded. "You can count on me, Arthur. Speaking of families, have you heard from Percy?"

Arthur shook his head. "No, he hasn't spoken to me directly. Molly has gone to him several times that I know of. Of course, she didn't tell me about it but I know. He's still my child Remus and I can't write him off entirely although his actions have caused me the greatest pain of my entire life. I simply do not know how he has come up with his ideas...how he could turn away from us...from his mother. However, I will still accept responsibility." He stopped suddenly and flushed red again as if he had divulged too much.

Remus turned to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "No, Arthur. He is a man and he must be responsible for himself. You can only go so far in rearing a child before they become their own person and make their way in the world. Besides, we need to enter this battle with determination and not regret. All the other little battles have to be set aside for another time."

He pushed up his sleeves on his summer shirt and glanced at the sun. "We have a few hours until sunset Arthur. You're sure the invitations were sent to everyone...sure that He got the message?"

Arthur Weasley grimaced again. "Oh yes, he got it. He knows the hour and day."

Remus nodded and started off across the meadow. Arthur Weasley followed.

Tonks stood in the archway near the intersecting street between Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley. She was dressed in a disguise and was hardly noticeable. The fight on Privet Drive had unnerved her a little. There were so many of the Dark Lords wizards there, some Death-eaters, although not all of them.

She had chosen to remain hidden watching closely and ready to step in and take the brunt of the spells, even sacrifice herself if need be, if Hermione and Harry had been in real danger. They were all ready to sacrifice themselves in this battle. She felt she had the less risky job because Harry was still protected by his mother's own sacrificial protection; at least until midnight, and she was slightly amused at the fact that the Death Eaters and wizard's that had attacked them were probably still wondering at their lack of success in trying to kill them.

She followed Harry and Hermione at a discreet distance and wondered what was going on when they sat in the car for over an hour and did nothing. Then suddenly they took off and she followed on her broom until they reached the Leaky Cauldron. It was easy enough to go ahead off them and wait until they had crossed the barrier.

Then she stood for a moment, hesitating. Hermione had gone one way and Harry had entered Knockturn Alley. She knew she needed to follow Harry but she was deeply worried about Hermione taking off on her own. She believed the girl was very bright and gifted and well versed in charms and spells but she would not survive an attack if she were by herself. The witches and wizards that stood against her would be very skilled, battle-worn and most of all; evil.

Tonks pulled out her wand, stepped into a dark recess in the street and sent her patronus out to Remus informing him of her whereabouts and that she was on Harry's tail. She noted that Hermione was alone and headed for Gringott's.

Then, pulling the cloak around her and over her head, even with the heat of summer engulfing her, she stepped into the fetid, dark street of Knockturn Alley.

Snape had put a binding charm on Bellatrix Lestrange and was dragging her along the ground in an old-fashioned muggle-way. Since he was half-muggle, it was something that he remembered as a child having been done to him and it pleased him at the moment that it was humiliating to her rather than causing much physical harm.

"He will kill you in a most unpleasant way, Severus," she grunted while struggling with the bonds.

"Perhaps, Bella," Snape said, in a conversational way. It didn't take much effort to drag the small woman. "But you will not be present to witness it. I have a very special surprise in store for you."

They were now in Knockturn Alley and he was looking for a street name on the posts on the corner. She didn't make an effort to scream, even though there were people nearby. Her arms were pressed tightly to her sides and she walked in petite steps when he stood her up on them.

"Snape, let's talk," she said coyly. "Our Lord doesn't know what you've done. And I will never tell him if you let me go now. He is ready to attack and has an army. Join us now and you will have wealth and prestige and...and...respect."

Snape looked at her, eyes narrowed. She had chosen the word carefully, obviously knowing that it was what he craved, or what she thought he craved. All the purebloods had misconceptions about the mixed bloods. They all thought that what a mudblood wanted was what they wanted.

"I have my prize," he said finally and softly. "Whether I am dead or alive I intend to use you to pay a debt that I have owed for most of my life. What I want is a clear conscience and a release from guilt."

Bella looked at him with her wide eyes and she half-smiled and half-frowned. He was talking in riddles as far as she was concerned and his answer silenced her momentarily.

She looked around and studied the street.

"Where are we going?" she asked. She was familiar with Knockturn Alley but there was no shop or establishment of interest here in this section.

He turned and waved his wand to silence her. The gag worked immediately. He wanted it to before he told her of their destination. "There is a man here, up these stairs." He motioned to the stairs that were attached to the outside of the building. "He is called a soul eater, or perhaps you know them as sin-eaters." He watched as her eyes grew wider and she began to struggle against the charm that bound her.

"Oh yes, Bella. Azkaban was a picnic compared to him. Why you ask are we going there?" he watched her nod her head. "Have you never wondered how the Dark Lord managed to survive the night he tried to kill Harry Potter? Oh yes, Lily Potter sacrificed herself to save the child, but it wasn't her sacrifice that made it possible for him to be resurrected. No, Bella," he heaved her up onto his shoulder and started to climb the stairs, "it is because Tom Riddle made seven Horcruxes. He is more or less invincible and immortal unless these six parts of his soul are destroyed. I'm sure you know that a soul eater is the only one that can do the job." He placed her on her feet at the top of the stairs. This time the expression on her face was close to the expression of madness. "He wants to taste what it's like to be a pureblood." Snape said the last with a dry sarcasm and then waved his wand to levitate her off her feet. He left her hanging in midair and stepped into the room.

He was immediately taken back when he saw Hermione Granger sitting in a chair across from a loathsome creature that smelled up the place like month-old garbage left rotting in the sun. He waved his wand and put a silencing charm on her and held her by the shoulder. "Harvey Morocco."

"Severus Snape. What do you want? Why are you here?" The dwarf-like creature cowed a little and whimpered.

"Have you agreed to anything, asked for anything?" He was speaking to her. She shook her head while still being held by his grip on her.

"Very well," he said and turned back to Morocco. "I have someone here for you. She is outside. If I am right, this young woman has already explained out need to you."

He raised an eyebrow and the squirming, filthy man nodded. "This better be good Snape. This better be a real treat."

Hermione struggled and pulled away and fled the room. Snape looked once more at Morocco and said, "Bellatrix Lestrange."

The man's face lightened. "Oh, yummy."

Snape followed Hermione outside.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter Twenty Two

"You...you...," she muttered, wiping at her mouth with the back of her after having gotten sick over the railing. She stood straight and glared at him.

Snape was mildly surprised. He expected everyone who knew that he was supposed to have killed Dumbledore to attack him directly. The girl was standing there calmly, still looking pale and sickly but not reaching for her wand or even acting afraid.

"I am aware of the Horcruxes and the reason I have found you here is probably connected. However, I assure you had you made a contract with that...vile creature in there, you would have regretted it."

You brought Lestrange here to pay for his services," she replied.

He nodded still puzzled at her insightfulness. It was almost like she had known what was going to happen, as if she expected him there, as if she knew that he had not killed Dumbledore. He decided to use his occlumency. He strove to capture her glance and there was a moment where he thought she knew what he was up to. She tried to nudge past him to take the stairs. He blocked her with his body and she stopped, staring directly into his chest and then...she looked up into his face.

It took less then five minutes for him to unlock her mind. She was unprotected, had no practice in shielding her thoughts. He stepped back and almost took a header down the stairs as his heel came down on air. He moved quickly forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. She shook her head as if she had been stunned momentarily and knew immediately what he had done.

"So now you know, Mr. Snape," she said firmly.

Snape felt his heart beating rapidly. It had been a long time since anything had taken him by surprise. _A time-turner! _There was so much there to absorb. He couldn't find the words to reply. Married to her! Children with her! Potter dead!

"The Horcruxes are at Hogwarts. They are gathered there together." She nodded towards the door of the room they had just left. "Harry is on his way there now. I need him." She nodded once again towards the door. "Will you help me?"

Snape dropped his hands and she stood waiting. They were on the brink of war and hardly prepared to meet the army that his old master had put together. He knew that he should do this without the girl. However, having her with him was added protection that others would not immediately attack him. They would think he held a hostage. When they got to the castle he could send her off in another direction. He nodded finally and stepped to the door.

"There is no need Miss Granger, for you to enter these premises again. Wait here."

"Do we...do we have to bring them to him?" she stammered. "Or does he come with us? How does that work?"

"He will apparate to the shrieking shack and I will take them to him. It is safest that way. I will need your assistance Miss Granger. If you are right and Potter has arrived at Hogwarts then I think it wise that you talk to him and advice him as to my...loyalties."


	23. Chapter 23

Natasha's note: My deepest apologies for making my readers wait for this chapter. The last chapter is very short and will be posted quickly. I have been writing a novel to publish and it is done and I am looking for a publisher. It also has a young boy in it. When I publish I will put my real name out and the name of the novel. I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to review my stories. In this story I wanted people to see that a time-turner was inevitably a useless thing. I think that's why Rowling got rid of all of them quickly. Hermione never could quite get it right. Anyway, I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Twenty Three

Hermione stood at the bottom of the stairs waiting for Snape. The people in the street glanced at her occasionally and moved by quickly. When there were more than one walking together they were usually talking excitedly to one another. She caught little pieces of their conversations, ...battle...Death Eaters... and then she heard the word, 'Burrow' .

Snape came down the stairs alone. He had a strange expression on his face. He looked almost...appalled..., she thought. Whatever had happened up there must have been dreadful.

"Professor," she whispered, reaching for his arm and pulling him close. He frowned at her action but leaned down to listen to her. "Something has happened. People are walking by, talking about a battle. Do you think...?" she began.

"Wait here," he said, straightening. "If anyone approaches you, take out your wand and prepare to defend yourself. Stay back in the shadows." He pulled her underneath the stairs and then hurried to the street, looked both ways and walked out of sight.

She stood in the musky, filth under the stairs and chewed on her lip. Maybe they were too late, maybe the fight had already started. In which case, Harry was in danger, they were all in danger especially if they were in Knockturn Alley as she and Snape were. She watched as more and more people seemed to fill the street and was contemplating apparating by herself when Snape reappeared.

He nodded to her and she stepped out. "Now, no talking, all right?" he whispered. She nodded and he pulled her close, taking hold of her arm. If it had been any other time she might have protested at his being so close. At the moment, it felt comforting.

He moved them through the crowd quickly. Those who knew him stepped aside and looked frightened. Those who did not he pushed aside and managed to keep both of them moving along. They ducked into an open door that looked dark and foreboding. The door opened into a dusty empty storefront. They stood for a moment watching out the dusty window as more and more people mingled in the street.

"It's the war, isn't it?" she asked. She was still standing close.

He nodded once.

"Can we apparate to Hogsmeade?" she asked, feeling suddenly frightened. She tried not to show it but was worried that her hand that still lay on his arm was shaking.

He covered it with his own and she hastily pulled it away, embarrassed at the intimacy.

"We need to get to Borgin and Burkes. Perhaps the cabinets you thought about are still there."

She remembered his Occlumency and how he had scoured her mind. Of course he would know about them, she thought. "Can't we apparate?"

He shook his head. "Wizards and witches on this street are notoriously suspicious. They use the anti-apparation charm on every building and on the street. We will have to find another way if you think that these cabinets are no longer there."

"I think that it's our best course," she said simply and he opened the door.

"Pull your hood well over your face and don't speak. You're too well dressed and your speech too educated for these people. They will find you out directly. I can pretend that you are my prisoner if it comes to that. Do you understand?"

She nodded. "Professor, did they attack the Burrow? Has it begun?"

It was his turn to nod. "We have no time for this discussion. Are you ready?"

"Yes."

He once again took her arm. This time they were almost running through the crowds that were coming together on the street. She began to recognize where they were and that they were very close to the shop. She held her wand hidden beneath her robes and tried to maneuver through people without actually touching them.

"Severus Snape," an oily voice stopped them in their tracks.

"Hello, Peter," Snape said, gripping her arm even tighter.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Peter said. He was a short man and Hermione realized that he was trying to bend down to see beneath her hood. It was stifling in the July heat and the wretched smells from the street were about to overcome her but she couldn't remove the hood.

"What have you here?" Peter asked. His dirty fingers were grabbing at the fabric of her cloak. Snape stepped in front of her.

"It's Bella, Peter," Snape said, quietly. "We are making our way to Borgin and Burkes to join the others at the Burrow. I don't think the dark lord would be happy if you detained us or revealed her identity here on the street.

"Bella?" Peter repeated.

"Get away," she hissed. Hermione muffled her voice and ducked her head, trying as hard as she could to imitate Lestrange's voice. It seems she had gotten away with it.

"Yes, yes," Peter gulped. "I too am headed that way. It seems that we were taken by surprise. I have heard that there was no one at the wedding party. As soon as the Death Eaters and our companions apparated to the spot they were attacked. The dark lord has called on all of us to go there."

Snape began to walk again pulling Hermione along beside him. Peter was walking on Snape's other side and talking.

"It seems that the Order of the Phoenix and their followers are playing a nasty game of hide and seek."

Hermione wanted to stop and listen but Snape was dragging her and it was all she could do to keep the hood over her head. Snape growled in response and finally shoved her through the door of the shop. The proprietor was no where to be seen.

"Just when we thought that we have them cornered it seems that we are outwitted. It's like they have a hundred invisibility cloaks. Is that possible Severus?" Peter asked. "Would they have access to such things?"

"Where is it?" Snape asked Hermione ignoring Peter's chatter. She pointed the only thing that was visible- her wand- towards a curtain and the back room. "I should think in there," she said. This time she did not disguise her voice.

"You are not..." Peter began.

Snape's reaction was immediate. He stunned the man before he could utter another word. Peter fell through a glass shelf and ended up with a necklace of bones around his neck. He looked at them with surprise and reached for the bones. The necklace seemed to come alive and began to squeeze.

Hermione pulled her hood back and watched as Peter's face turned blue and he struggled to pull it away from his throat.

"This way!" Snape snapped. He pulled her through the curtain not waiting for her to see what happened and not stopping to help him.

The cabinet was sitting in a cleared out space on the floor of a storeroom.

"Is this it?" he asked.

Hermione had not actually seen the cabinets before, but rather than look stupid she nodded and crossed her fingers, hoping that it was. She could still hear the gagging noises coming from the other room and wished to be away from the place as soon as possible.

"I will go first," he said. "If it is safe, I'll return in a minute. Keep your eye open for Burke. He's around. Probably on the street gossiping." He studied her for a moment, glanced towards the curtain and then back. "A fitting end to a man who has betrayed many. Do you agree?"

She nodded slowly and he opened the door, ducked his head and climbed in. She was left alone. She tried not to hear the noises of strangulation that were becoming weaker and weaker and instead looked at the assortment of items stacked high on shelves and on the dusty floor. She was surprised to see the Black crest on several items and almost reached for them. Then Snape returned and waved a hand for her to enter the cabinet.

It was dark for only a moment and then she pushed the back of the cupboard and stepped into the Room of Requirement. She would not have known what it was except that Harry had described it to her.

She waited and Snape stepped in behind her. He waved a wand over the cabinet and it glowed with a faint blue aura before he turned to her. "Now Miss Granger may I have the time-turner."

She automatically reached for her bodice and clutched the jewel and the cloth that covered it in her fist.

"I have brought you to safety," he continued.

"I don't trust you," she said meekly. Somehow the time-turner felt warm even through her gown. She was still dressed in clothes meant for the wedding. "What are you going to do?"

He looked around for a second and found a chair and brushed it off and sat down. "Have you found that using it makes it harder to not use it again and again? Have you discovered that nothing seems to be right as if the world you knew had changed and the people in it had changed. Does it seem like a never ending circle, and life is growing ever more dispairing?"

She studied his face. He was looking calm and even-kind. She nodded, still clutching it.

"The wizards in the Department of Mysteries have kept the time-turners to study them. But they did not make them. No one knows who did. Perhaps a very great wizard-Merlin, Bangok-or another. It doesn't matter. Time-turners have various strengths. The one you used to attend classes and help Sirius Black escape the Demeantors kiss- Oh yes, I know about it- was a weak one. It allowed you to go back in time for a few hours at the most. The one that you wear around your neck is much stronger as you have probably come to realize. What you may not understand is that it has an affect on the wearer. It uses the energy of the wearer. Over time it will take your sanity and your strength."

"But the old woman- me- when I was older. She was not insane," Hermione protested.

He nodded. "Perhaps she put it in a drawer and never used it again. But to wear it on her body would have taken years off her life." He shrugged. "That doesn't matter. I want to use the time-turner to accomplish a huge task. It will probably kill me."

She waited for him to continue.

"I will go back and kill Voldemort. After looking into your mind I know that you are aware that you cannot go back to a point in time where you do not exist. But I was alive when Tom Riddle was in Hogwarts."

"You'd be killing an innocent boy from everyone elses perspective," she said after thinking about it. "You'd be sent to Azkaban."

He nodded slowly. "Probably. Dumbledore could not bring himself to destroy Riddle when he was a boy even though he knew what he would become. I would save many lives."

"Lily Potter's," Hermione said.

He nodded again.

"You loved her that much?" Hermione asked, already knowing the answer. "You would spend the rest of your life in Azkaban. It would be a horrible end."

"I might end up there," he said slowly. "Or I might save my mother's life and allow her to do the job. I think that she would be happy to. However, I will need the potion's book that Potter took. It belonged to my mother and only she could release the secrets inside its covers, since it was she who made it. Another type of alchemy Miss Granger- like the time-turner-something that only a skilled wizard should use. And she was a witch that delved very deep into dark magic."

"I don't know where the book is," Hermione said truthfully.

Snape looked around, raised his wand and said, "Accio Half-Blood Prince potions book."

It took a moment and there was some rustling and then the small tome came flying over a stack of books and flew into his hand.

"Now all I need is the time-turner. I can take it from you but I'd prefer that you handed it over."

"How do I know you won't take Voldemort's place?" she asked.

He smiled and the action made Hermione step back in shock. When he smiled it was almost pleasant.

"You don't. But I do not want to become a god."

"What do you want?"

"I want to marry Lily and have children and live a different kind of life."

"Will you hurt James Potter, or Sirius? They were cruel to you in school."

He smiled again and crossed one leg over the other looking very relaxed and casual given their present situation. "Lily Potter and I were childhood friends. I made some mistakes..." he looked at the wand in his hand and back at her. "I can correct those as well. I think it will make a difference."

"Will you tell me what mistakes you made?" she asked hesitantly.

"I stopped my mother from killing my father," he said. "Perhaps, I shall let nature take its course."

"It's still killing," she replied. "Your nature has been warped by too many years of resentment and anger. You said yourself that the time-turner is addictive. What makes you think that you won't use it time and again as I did?"

"I don't," he answered calmly. "My mother ended up in Azkaban anyway and died there." He waved his wand lazily in the air talking as he did. "To use it again may be the biggest mistake of all. To let things go on as they are may mean the end to all of us. Who knows."

Hermione found herself sitting on a bench thinking over what he was saying and murmured, "The Horcruxes would be gone. Sirius would be alive. Harry's parents would be alive- well that's if James and Lily marry, or you and Lily marry- either way he's not a Horcrux and Voldemort is not after him. I wonder what that would be like?" She was not asking a direct question, but mulling things over.

"You are very fond of him," Snape said.

She looked up quickly to see if there was sarcasm on his face. There was none.

"We could go on as we are. We could try and destroy the Horcruxes. Potter would more than likely face the dark lord and die. Your friends would be in a war they could not win." He shrugged again. "You could wait fifty years to see if you have another chance."

Hermione sighed deeply and pulled the gold chain out.

"Just remember Miss Granger, time has never really been in your control anyway. If I choose to do some evil when I use that, there is nothing you can do. But I would like you to trust me."

"I'll remember none of this," she said, handing it over. "But you'll remember it all."

"Perhaps," he said taking it. "Perhaps not. If I go back far enough and change the boy that I was, the life I lived, then I most certainly will not exist as I am now."

Hermione nodded. "Time is very odd. After going through all of this, I still don't understand how it works."

He sat his wand down and adjusted the time-turner. "Are you ready?"


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Hermione was sitting in class waiting for it to begin. She was sitting next to Harry and Ron was across the aisle. They were close friends and had been since they started attending Hogwarts. The difference was Hermione was in love with Harry and even as they started their seventh year, both could hardly think about studies. They were talking too much about their wedding the following summer.

She was about to turn to him and say something when the door banged open and Professor Snape entered their potions classroom. He walked deliberately to the front of the class and everyone grew silent. It was a small class given that it was only those that received the highest marks that could attend. It was a N.E.W.T.S class.

"Good afternoon," Snape began. He waved his wand and writing curled across the blackboard. "Professor Snape will be in shortly to begin your potions class. She has been delayed." He looked up at them and smiled.

"Probably trying to get Mathew to his sitter," Harry said to Hermione. "Mum always has trouble with him." Hermione knew he was talking about his baby brother.

"That's all right," Hermione replied. "Your dad is really good with potions. He should have been a potion's teacher, too. Even though your mum is really good. Still, I like him as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, too." They watched as Snape flipped open their potions book and scanned it. He was dressed very casually in slacks and a white shirt. His black robe, which he was required to wear, was lying across an empty chair. Hermione watched him and thought to herself that he was not an attractive man at all, but he was so kind that it didn't matter. Many of the girls had crushes on him.

She turned to Harry and watched him as he unpacked his cauldron and supplies. He didn't look much like Snape, not with his green eyes and his soft mouth. He hadn't inherited his father's long aquiline nose either. But he had his father's playful nature and he was as kind and gentle as the man before them.

"Let's begin," Snape said. "Start your potion. Miss Grange will you supervise?"

Hermione jumped a little, startled out of her daydreaming. "Of course, Professor." She had been a favorite of many of the teachers because of her academic prowess. She stepped to the podium and Snape stopped on his way down.

"I'm going to see Professor Lupin for a moment. If Professor Snape comes in let her know that we are having lunch together. Tell her that we are to meet with the Auror, James Potter and Dumbledore. Will you do that?"

She nodded and scanned the potions book. She watched him as he left and thought to herself, "It must be really difficult to know that your mother is an evil witch. That must be what he's meeting an Auror about. To think, you might have to kill your own mother, she thought to herself. How horrible would that be? Still, a war might be eminent if things weren't straightened out soon and she and her friends would more than likely be involved in it.

Hermione had long known about Madam Prince and her devious efforts to take control of the Ministry. Everyone knew that she had killed her own muggle husband and had left her son to be raised by Dumbledore. She had taken the Blacks and Malfoys under her wing and they in turn were causing trouble throughout the wizarding community. She thought of Sirius Black, one of the worst of them and wished that they could capture him and put him in Azkaban before it was too late.

The door to the room slammed shut and Lily Snape rushed up to the podium. "Oh thank you, Hermione. Her long auburn hair flew out around her soft face and she smiled brightly at them."

Hermione delivered her message and went back to her desk.

Later, she and Ron and Harry entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and saw someone talking to Snape. It was the Auror James Potter.

"This ought to be interesting," Ron said. "I heard that Potter and Snape didn't always get along but now they are best of friends. James Potter is supposed to be the best Auror there is."

Harry dropped his books on the desk and nodded. "Yeah, mum said that Potter was stuck on her when they went to Hogwarts. She never really liked him, she said he had a big head."

Hermione was still standing gazing at the short man standing near Severus Snape. She felt odd, like the world was spinning around her. She even felt momentarily sick. Visions were swimming before her eyes, almost like looking into a gauzy crystal ball. She was seeing a different world; a world where James Potter was dead and Snape was a cruel, insensitive teacher, where the world was dominated by an evil wizard called Voldemort.

"Hermione," Harry said in whispers and tugged at her sleeve. "Class is about to start and I want to hear what Potter has to say."

Hermione knew that Harry wanted to be an Auror and had worked hard to get the marks in all of his classes. But the horror of what she had experienced could not be wiped from her mind. It seemed like she was experiencing a past life and it was all so ugly and horrible and frightening.

She spent the hour studying Snape and completely forgetting to pay attention to the Ministry Auror.

After class she walked up to the front. "Professor Snape may I speak to you in private?"

Snape turned to Potter, shook his hand and then waved her into his private study.

"What is it, Miss Granger?" He looked at her with warm brown eyes and gestured her into a seat. "You look ill. Should I call Madam Pomphrey?"

"Professor," she stuttered. "Have you ever heard of Horcruxes and...and a man by the name of Voldemort. Do you know about a secret society called the Order of the Phoenix?"

Snape stared at her for a long time and looked frightened. "No, no, I don't think I have," he replied softly.

"I must be having a bad dream then," Hermione said rubbing her temples. "It was all so clear moments ago. Professor...?"

She looked up to see a wand in his hand pointed at her. "Obliviate!" he shouted.

"Miss Granger," a voice came out of the grayness. "Are you all right. You have fainted."

Hermione opened her eyes and looked into the face of her teacher. "I think so Professor."

"If you can walk I think you should see the nurse," Snape said and gently lifted her to her feet.

"I'm...I'm all right, really. Sorry but I can't remember what it was that brought me here." She'd had these spells before and it worried her. She had periods where she had lost time and it seemed to be happening more frequently.

"It's all right. Nothing important. Go on now and have Madam Pomphrey check you out." Snape ushered her from the room and closed the door behind her. He squeezed his eyes shut and stood frozen at the door.

_How many more times must I do that before she finally forgets?_ he wondered. He pocketed his wand and walked back to his desk. Sitting on its surface was a small box that was really a box within a box. He'd always thought it best to hide something out in plain view. And even though the time-turner was a very, very important thing to him, he could never let it out of his sight by placing it in a drawer. He picked up the box, lifted the lid, and then another and another until he saw the jewel lying on the velvet inside.

Snape stared at it and then replaced the lids once again. He had never touched it in all the years since Hermione had handed it to him in the Room of Requirement and after he had used it once. He replaced the box on his desk and sat down to gaze out of the window. He smiled suddenly as he watched Harry fly by on his broom.

_Ah! The Quidditch match has started_, he thought. _My son is the best player Slytherin House has ever had_. Snape jumped to his feet and headed down the hall looking for his wife. They had never missed a match yet.

The end


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